Help Us Expand Gleaning Across Connecticut — Join the Community Harvest Movement

Real Food CT is a nonprofit based in western Connecticut dedicated to connecting local farms to hunger relief organizations. Since 2019, we’ve donated over 150,000 pounds of fresh, local produce to food pantries through a combination of community garden growing, food recovery, and gleaning.  We are already on pace to surpass 100,000 lbs in 2025, supporting over 20 different regional food pantries and service centers.

This year, we are launching a statewide expansion of our gleaning and surplus produce program, with a focus on farms and food access partners in Litchfield, Fairfield, New Haven, and Hartford Counties. We’ve learned a tremendous amount from the Association of Gleaning Organizations (AGO) and their International Gleaning Symposium, and we’re committed to building a model that supports both farmers and food pantries—efficiently, respectfully, and locally.  We’re excited to lead Connecticut’s efforts to be part of a nationwide tracking system on gleaned food for food pantries.

To do this well, we’re looking for Community Harvest Coordinators (CHCs): passionate, reliable volunteers who can serve as regional liaisons in their communities. CHCs help us connect with local farms, organize trained volunteer crews, and ensure that gleaned produce is distributed to nearby food pantries and service centers using our vans and infrastructure. This model keeps food, relationships, and resources rooted in community—where they belong.

We are actively seeking:

• New farm partners interested in donating surplus crops
• CHCs who want to help coordinate gleaning efforts in their area

Gleaning is not just an emergency solution—it’s a critical piece of a resilient food system. It creates tax incentives for farmers, increases fresh food access for our neighbors, and brings communities together in service of something bigger than ourselves.

Learn more and get involved:

🔗 Gleaning Expansion Blog Post!
🔗 What is gleaning?

If you’re interested in bringing this model to your area or learning more, please reach out to us directly at jessi@realfoodct.org or visit www.realfoodct.org.

Let’s make sure no healthy food goes to waste in Connecticut.