HarvestBag.org
Title
The Harvest Bag1
Contact
- The Harvest Bag Inc.
-
- Pismo Beach CA
- US 93449
-
- +1.8057732399
Description
The Harvest Bag Inc. is an all-volunteer organization begun in 1979 by eight senior women with the help of the Economic Opportunity Council (EOC). The women asked local farmers if they could gather the produce left in the fields after the commercial harvest and distributes the food to those in need. A number of farmers agreed and Harvest Bag was born. The women with the help of husbands used their own cars to drive to the fields and one woman volunteered her garage for storage. Unfortunately the following year, because of the lack of funds (a never-ending problem), the EOC had to withdraw support from the program but the women persisted and the organization grew. Presently there are over 70 volunteer members, each doing what she or he can; gathering produce from the fields, picking up food donations from local groceries and bakeries, driving trucks to exchange food with other distribution centers, and packing bags with groceries to distribute to needing residents in San Luis Obispo County.
Harvest Bag's main distribution center is the Soto Park Sports Complex parking lot graciously donated each Wednesday morning by the City of Arroyo Grande. There, the individual bags are assembled containing 30 - 40 lbs. of food depending on the season and donations received. From the Soto Sports Complex bags are also taken to other distribution centers through out San Luis Obispo County. Harvest Bag attempts to create a nutritionally balanced bag but meat and dairy are sometimes difficult to obtain. Between 500 and 600 bags are assembled and distributed each week. Anyone can obtain a bag of groceries, as Harvest Bag does not require any qualifications. A voluntary donation of $2.50 is requested but no one is turned away for the lack of money. There is a line for the disabled to pickup groceries without getting out of their car and there is a special distribution once a month for seniors based on the guidelines of the State of California's Brown Bag Program. The program is called The Senior Bag Program, as it is not sponsored by the government.
Harvest Bag maintains a large warehouse with refrigeration facilities in Oceano, CA. as well as 5 heavy-duty trucks, 4 vans and 3 forklifts, all aging and frequently needing repairs. Harvest Bag has become a food storage agency and would make food available in any wide spread emergency such as flood, fire, or earthquake. Harvest Bag collects, stores, and distributes over 1 million-pound of food a year for other charitable organizations in addition to its own charitable food distribution programs.
