West Seattle community fruit gleaning program supplies local food banks

The Rotary Club of West Seattle, in partnership with City Fruit, Scouting America Chief Seattle Council and local volunteers, is organizing West Seattle Community Gleaning Days. Homeowners with fruit trees or vines can register by August 1 for the first gleaning on August 16, with a second event scheduled for September 13. Volunteers will harvest apples, pears, plums, quince and grapes and deliver the produce to the West Seattle Food Bank and the White Center Food Bank.

The initiative seeks to prevent edible fruit from going to waste while providing fresh, nutritious produce to families in need. Last year the program collected nearly 900 pounds of fruit. Mike Price of the Rotary Club said, “Backyard fruit is one of West Seattle’s hidden community resources,” emphasizing the program’s role in improving local nutrition.