General Info:
Senior Gleaners, Inc is a VOLUNTEER, nonprofit organization, dedicated to helping feed the hungry in 8 counties throughout Northeastern California Senior Gleaners was founded on June 24, 1976. Thirty retired seniors gathered to glean surplus fruits and vegetables from farmers 'fields and orchards for their own use. The surplus were donated to a local soup kitchen. Using a private garage, food storage requirements of the organization were met by utilizing refrigerators. Over the years, as the amount of food substantially increased, we moved several times and continually upgraded our storage facilities with walk-in freezers and coolers. Or organizational structure began with the founder who appointed several assistants to help distribute the food. As we developed people in the community offered volunteer and organizational assistance. We contacted food retailers and distributors and asked for their expired shelf-life food products and asked the farmers for their leftover produce after harvest. Most began to donate on a regular basis. The food was then sorted and channeled through our network of charitable organizations for distribution to feed the needy. Senior Gleaners, Inc is administered by a nine-member Board of Directors, and Advisory Board compromised of community leaders, and a large administrative staff who oversee our daily operations of retired volunteers. We supply food and household products to 135 charities who distribute the food to the needy in our region. In addition to food distributors, retailers, farmers and other sources of food support, or financial support comes from grants, direct mail solicitation and a Bingo operation. We receive no federal, state or local funding, and we are not members of United Way. We rely, as we have since we were founded in1976, upon foundations, corporations, the private sector and concerned individuals for funding. From the beginning we have insisted on fairness and equality, and have included in our Bylaws the following statement: