Volunteers pick fruit for those in need

There was a big haul of healthy food this morning and it’s all going to local residents in need.

30 volunteers from Goleta based Citrix Online came out to harvest a bounty of blood oranges from a ranch in the Carpinteria-Toro Canyon area.

Citrix Vice President of Enterprise Marketing Michael Mansbach said, “I am shocked at the amount of fruit that sits on the trees. In fact thinking about this fruit falling to the ground and the thousands of people who could eat it, there’s a connection to make.”

It’s part of the company’s ‘Global Day of Impact’ program.

The oranges went right to the Santa Barbara County Food Bank where there’s always a need for fresh fruit.

“Seeing everyone contributing to that container getting full it feels good ,” said Citrix worker Christine Broderick.

Even though lugging heavy crates of oranges across ranch land is strenuous work, it has a big payoff.

“It makes me feel I’m personally connecting when I’ve got ten pounds of blood oranges that somebody’s gonna eat that otherwise would not have occurred,” said Mansbach.

Property owners with surplus fruit are urged to contact the Food Bank to work out a harvest plan.

Others who want to help with a harvest should also make their services available to help bring in extra fruit, ripe for the picking, on local trees.