Making 180 Tons of Difference!
What if something growing in your own backyard could help feed a neighbor?
Portland Fruit Tree Project has harvested and shared more than 180 tons of fresh fruit by caring for and harvesting the trees that feed and shade our neighborhoods. It's volunteers and neighbors coming together to pick fruit that might otherwise go to waste and get that fresh, locally grown food into the hands of people throughout the Portland area who need it.
And the need is real. One in seven Oregonians faces food insecurity, and one-quarter of those experiencing it are children. Portland Fruit Tree Project is helping make nutritious fresh produce more accessible while also building a healthier city. Their work goes beyond the harvest, by planting and caring for fruit trees in neighborhoods with less tree canopy they're also creating more healthy food, cleaner air and much-needed shade as our summers get hotter.
HERE IS WHERE YOU COME IN:
You can volunteer for a community harvest, donate to support the work or share the bounty from your own backyard!
Have a neighbor that has falling fruit? You can submit their address and the type of fruit (if you can identify it), and they'll send a postcard introducing themselves and offering to harvest!
Or if your own apple, pear, plum or other fruit tree produces more than you can possibly use, you can harvest the extra and donate it to Portland Fruit Tree Project.
Instead of letting good fruit fall to the ground, it can help feed someone right here in our community.
One tree, one harvest, one neighbor helping another — it all adds up to a whole lot of good.