The Gleaning Project has exceeded expectations by recruiting about 25 volunteers who are trained and ready to get to work but there's something missing.
Dietician for Chatham-Kent's Public Health unit, Lyndsay Davidson says they're struggling to find locations to do the gleaning.
"We're looking for local farmers and producers that would be willing to partner with us," says Davidson. "We're open to any type of produce to be able to go out and do those gleaning projects."
Davidson says they're looking to expand this year by having at lease five locations participating in the project. When the project piloted last year they only partnered with two locations so that they could test out the process.
Once the locations are ready for harvest a group of volunteers trained in health and safety can start to glean.
"Our volunteers will go out into the area and collect anything that we're able to," says Davidson. "All of that excess produce will go to local food banks, soup kitchens and community programs across Chatham-Kent."
The Gleaning Project was developed by The Chatham-Kent Food Policy Council.
In the program overview attached to the media release it says about 8% of people within the municipality face food insecurity. Davidson says it's a project the Chatham-Kent Food Policy Council are very passionate to start in the community.
Farmers looking to be apart of the project or people looking to receive the produce gleaned can contact Davidson directly at (519) 352-7270 ext. 2478 or visit the Chatham-Kent Food Policy website.