CV Neighborhood Harvest

Central Valley Neighborhood Harvest is a nonprofit volunteer organization in Central Valley California whose mission is to prevent food insecurity and promote food justice, promote youth agriculture and life skills, and promote sustainable use of urban resources. We organize neighborhood fruit harvesting, develop community neighborhood gardens and provide education on fruit tree care, harvesting, gardening and healthy lifestyles among families. We are committed harvesting for the poor, seniors, disabled and families with children 0-5, by harvesting fruit from local backyards and small orchards. A backyard fruit tree usually produces far more fruit than a household can use themselves, and there is more than enough going to waste from local backyards and farms to provide for our local community's hungry. We address this food distribution problem by organizing volunteer teams to harvest backyard fruit and then donate it to needy individual and local community agencies. While Harvesting is our largest activity, our organization is a resource for the community as well as the tree owners. We provide educational materials and advice on fruit tree, garden care and harvesting. Through our volunteer service we provide training and life building skills to improve recidivism, bringing families in stressed and challenging times closer together through building and repairing family relationships. Our Junior Master Gardeners program teaches youth about agriculture, educates youth in developing and leading healthier lifestyles for themselves as well as their families and decreasing the risk of obesity in their community.