Supporting seniors with gleaned produce

MEND volunteer Don Ricks bags cherries at the Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center. Don helped pick the cherries as part of MEND's gleaning program, then delivered some to the Senior Center, among other locations. Picture provided by Russ Alman.

In addition to harvesting produce to stock the Community Cupboard food pantry, MEND's gleaning program distributes excess produce to a number of locations around North Central Washington. One of those locations is the Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center.

"One of the groups where there's significant food insecurity is seniors, and I think they're often overlooked," said Russ Alman, Director of Communications and Development for the Senior Center. "There's an abundance of food in this valley, and no one should be going hungry, especially this time of year."

In addition to the low-cost hot lunches the Center provides four times a week, there's also a table in the corner where people and organizations can leave produce for anyone who wants or needs it. Russ says that table is usually empty by the end of the day.

"It's great that we are helping people with their food needs, as grocery prices are skyrocketing here in our state as much as about anywhere in the country," said MEND volunteer Don Ricks, who often delivered produce to the Senior Center immediately after it was picked. "There needs to be relief."