Cupertino, CA – A new ⁢community-based fruit harvesting program is taking root in the West Valley, aiming to combat food insecurity ⁣by ​gleaning excess produce from local trees. Organized by a ​group of ⁢residents and supported by the Rotary Club of Cupertino, the initiative seeks to connect fruit abundance with those in need, building on the model of established organizations like Village Harvest.

The program, ⁣spearheaded by José Spotlight, goes beyond simply reducing food waste, according to ‌organizers. “It’s an awareness, (an) education beyond just (reducing) food waste, because there’s an action here and you’re doing something about it,” a representative stated to San José ⁤Spotlight.

For volunteers like Chuck Harper, ‌a Cupertino ​resident and Rotary Club member, ⁣the effort ​carries deep personal importance. ⁤Harper, who grew up in ⁣poverty with a single mother and ‌limited access‍ to‌ fresh produce, recalls relying on community support during ‌tough times. “I’ll really never know who went ⁣out of their ⁣way for‍ me, but I remember them and⁢ I hope that⁤ in‌ many years, somebody who doesn’t know me remembers me,” Harper⁢ shared with San ‍José Spotlight.

The concept⁤ of ​harvesting surplus fruit to address food insecurity isn’t new to the Bay⁢ Area.⁢ Village Harvest, a ⁣San Jose-based nonprofit​ founded in ‌2001, currently collects approximately 250,000 pounds of fruit annually throughout the region. Craig Diserens, village Harvest’s ​executive director, provided training to the Cupertino organizers, emphasizing the importance ⁣of building a strong network of ​volunteers and tree donors for long-term sustainability.

“What⁣ we’re doing really is community ⁢food harvesting,” Diserens explained to San José Spotlight. “It’s ⁢as much about building ⁣community ⁣and involving community members in service ⁣as it is about the fruit.”

The ⁢program’s first harvest is scheduled⁢ for Sunday, August 24th, beginning ⁤around 8:30 a.m. Volunteers will ⁤be⁤ collecting lemons and apples‍ from⁤ the trees of ⁢Santa Clara ​resident Jean⁣ Zhu. Zhu, who has lived in her neighborhood since 2008, inherited⁣ the fruit trees but rarely ⁤utilizes the produce herself, typically picking only three to five lemons each ‍year. She ‍expressed ‍enthusiasm ​for continued participation as the trees⁤ yield more fruit.

“It makes me feel great that I can really help out the community,realizing things that I don’t​ need,” Zhu ‌told ‍San José Spotlight. “They should ​have it to be put into good use (for)⁣ people who really​ need it and appreciate it much more than I⁤ do.”

The program⁣ aims to address a‌ critical need ⁢in ⁣santa⁤ Clara ‌County, where recent data ⁢suggests potential losses of millions of dollars in food assistance‍ programs, as previously reported by San José Spotlight. By mobilizing local resources and​ volunteers,the initiative offers a direct and tangible solution to food insecurity within ‌the West Valley community.

Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on​ X.