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Harvest Rescue needs volunteers and produce

Volunteers get to take home one-third of the harvest, making participating a great way to get enough fruit for preserving.
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Harvest Rescue volunteers are ready and eager to get picking cherries, raspberries, garden peas, and all the later summer produce that’s soon to arrive.

Harvest Rescue is a program of the Nelson Food Cupboard that coordinates volunteers to harvest excess produce from backyard gardens in and around Nelson, and then shares the harvest with community members through food banks, social service agencies and low income housing buildings throughout Nelson.

“There are so many benefits to the Harvest Rescue program, but the most important one is getting more fresh produce into the hands, and bellies, of low income community members who cannot afford to buy sufficient quantities for themselves,” says Emily Mask, Harvest Rescue coordinator, enthusiastically.

Mask pointed out that improving community food security, fun social outings and reducing bear-human interactions are a few other pluses to the program.

Once again, it’s looking like this harvest season will be a bountiful one, so Mask says the program definitely needs more volunteers.

Volunteers get to take home one-third of the harvest, making participating a great way to get enough fruit for preserving.

Volunteers will harvest vegetables, fruit, berries or nuts from anyone who has more than they can use. The harvest is then split into thirds one for the garden owner, one for the volunteer and one for the Nelson Food Cupboard or another social service.

If you would like to get involved with the project as a produce donor or volunteer, call Emily at 250-551-8343 or email harvestrescue@gmail.com.

Produce donors are also welcome to harvest their own excess fruit or vegetables and drop it off during the Nelson Food Cupboard’s open hours: Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Nelson Food Cupboard is located in the lower hall of the Nelson United Church at 602 Silica St.

For more information on the Nelson Food Cupboard visit www.foodcupboard.org.