Los Angeles - September 14, 2009

Cream of the Crop

Food Forward Volunteer Group

Picking winners is not your strong suit. If you entered a one-horse race, your jockey would call in sick with the mumps.

Fortunately, you can’t lose when you volunteer with Food Forward.

In the name of solving the problem of urban hunger and boosting community service, the grassroots organization gathers at private properties to glean excess fruit from trees then donates the fresh bounty to local food pantries.

Don’t let your lemons, oranges, and grapefruits go to waste. Send info about your surplus to find out whether you qualify for a mini pick. (Even if you don’t, you can donate your goods directly to SOVA or MEND, the org’s current receiving partners.) Or join up for a quarterly Big Pick event, where upwards of 100 folks harvest a giant orchard for an entire day.

Either way, the odds are in your favor.

For more information, go to foodforward.org.