Harvest Against Hunger

THE GOAL OF HAH IS TO REDUCE HUNGER-RELATED MALNUTRITION BY ENSURING THAT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO VISIT FOOD BANKS OR HOT MEAL PROGRAMS HAVE THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THEY NEED TO PROVIDE A HEALTHY, WELL-BALANCED DIET. HUNGER-RELATED MALNUTRITION IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT CAN HAVE LONG-TERM AND EVEN PERMANENT PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL EFFECTS. RFH PLAYS A UNIQUE AND CRITICAL ROLE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER IN WASHINGTON, BEING NEITHER A FOOD BANK DISPENSING FOOD TO CLIENTS AT A SINGLE LOCATION, NOR A DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSE SERVING FOOD BANKS WITHIN A DEFINED NETWORK. WE ARE AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY WHICH ACTS AS A NON-PROFIT BROKER -- LOCATING SURPLUS FOOD, COORDINATING HARVESTING OR PACKAGING IF REQUIRED, IDENTIFYING A PARTNER WAREHOUSE THAT NEEDS IT, AND ARRANGING TRANSPORTATION TO MOVE THE PRODUCE TO A WAREHOUSE FOR SORTING AND DISTRIBUTION TO AREA FOOD BANKS.

SEE SCHEDULE OHAH IS AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF HUNGER AND AGRICULTURAL WASTE IN WASHINGTON STATE. WE FOCUS ON PROCURING, COLLECTING AND DISTRIBUTING SURPLUS PRODUCE THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GO UNHARVESTED OR BE SENT TO LANDFILLS. SINCE WE BEGAN IN 1982, WE HAVE COLLECTED AND DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 200 MILLION POUNDS OF PRODUCE. HAH IS A SEATTLE-BASED NON-PROFIT THAT FILLS THE GAP BETWEEN FARMERS, FOOD PACKERS AND PROCESSORS WITH SURPLUS PRODUCE AND LOCAL NON-PROFIT FOOD DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS. WE ACTIVELY SEEK DONATIONS OF SURPLUS PRODUCE DIRECTLY FROM FARMERS AND PROCESSORS. THEN, WE SOLICIT TRUCKING COMPANIES TO DONATE "DEADHEAD" SPACE (TRUCKS COMING BACK EMPTY FROM A DELIVERY), TO PICK UP FOOD DONATIONS AND DELIVER TO OUR PARTNERS OR DEEPLY DISCOUNTED TRUCKING TO DELIVER THE PRODUCE FROM THE DONOR TO THE FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSES. WE ENDEAVOR TO WORK WITH FOOD DONORS TO MAKE IT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE TO PARTICIPATE, AND HAVE FOUND THAT BULK-SIZED DONATIONS (IN 1,000 POUND BINS) ARE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO COLLECT PRODUCE. IF NEEDED, DONATIONS OF BULK PRODUCE ARE PACKED BY VOLUNTEERS INTO FAMILY-SIZED PORTIONS AND SENT ON TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS FOR DISTRIBUTION. THESE DONATIONS CREATE AN EFFECTIVE AND VERY TANGIBLE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE--PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNGER VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE INCREASINGLY INTERESTED IN SEEING FRESH, WHOLESOME PRODUCE DIVERTED FROM FOOD WASTE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED. TO ENGAGE THE SMALL AND MID-LEVEL FARMERS, HAH PLACES DEDICATED, FULL-TIME AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBERS AROUND THE STATE AT LOCAL FOOD BANKS TO START PRODUCE GLEANING PROGRAMS. THESE VISTA PARTNER WITH FARMERS IN THEIR AREAS TO SEND IN TEAMS OF VOLUNTEERS TO GLEAN REMAINING CROPS, PLANT AND MAINTAIN FOOD BANK GARDENS, CAPTURE LEFTOVER PRODUCE AT FARMERS' MARKETS AND MORE, ALL TO FEED HUNGRY PEOPLE WITHOUT NEEDING TO TRANSPORT THE FOOD LONG DISTANCES NOR TAKE AWAY FROM ANYONE ELSE. THE CONCEPT AND THE PROCESS OF WHAT WE DO AT HAH ARE SIMPLE: REDUCE FOOD WASTE AND FEED HUNGRY PEOPLE BY CAPTURING SURPLUS PRODUCE AND MOVING IT AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE TO HUNGER RELIEF PARTNERS. WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH OVER 50 HUNGER-RELIEF AGENCIES IN WASHINGTON. WHEN WE RECEIVE DONATIONS THAT ARE LARGER THAN OUR STATEWIDE PARTNERSHIPS CAN EFFECTIVELY HANDLE, WE WORK THROUGH OUT-OF-STATE PARTNERS TO TRADE FOR PRODUCE THAT IS EXCESS IN NEIGHBORING REGIONS. WE ARE CAREFUL STEWARDS OF DONATED FUNDING. BY LEVERAGING OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND THE SUPPORT OF HUNDREDS OF ROTARIANS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECT (EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS) 10 MILLION POUNDS OF PRODUCE LAST YEAR WITH AN OVERALL BUDGET OF LESS THAN $500,000.