Gleaners
Encyclopedia
Gleaners, also known as The Volunteers Of Gleaners, is a non-profit organization founded by Gloria Martinson
in 1986 that helps feed the homeless in Jackson, Mississippi
(not to be confused with the Gleaners food bank in Indiana). Gleaning
is the collection of leftover crops after fields have been harvested.
John Shorkly is current CEO and Nancy Willis is the Operations Manager.
started the organization from her own kitchen. The amount of food collected and distributed has increased through 2008, with food intake and outgo exceeding one million pounds. The cost per pound of food collected and distributed has remained at about six cents per pound, compared to a market value of $1.50 per pound or more than $1.5 million for all food distributed. By 2008 Gleaners had about sixty volunteers.
Gloria Martinson
Gloria Martinson is an American philanthropist, the founder of Gleaners, a non-profit organization which helps feed the homeless, and the grandmother of the American television actress and model Lauren Jones.-Personal life:Gloria Lorraine Martinson is the wife...
in 1986 that helps feed the homeless in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
(not to be confused with the Gleaners food bank in Indiana). Gleaning
Gleaning
Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest...
is the collection of leftover crops after fields have been harvested.
John Shorkly is current CEO and Nancy Willis is the Operations Manager.
Mission
The volunteers of Gleaners in Jackson, Mississippi collect food that otherwise would go to waste and give it to charitable agencies. Donated food comes from wholesale food distributors, retail establishments such as supermarkets, restaurants, and bakeries, as well as hospitals and churches. The food is then distributed to charities caring for indigent elderly, to day care centers, halfway houses, and shelters, at no cost to them.Operations
Gleaners is an all-volunteer, nonprofit agency overseen by a board of directors. They have a fleet of six trucks for collecting food from donors, and operate from a building equipped with walk-in refrigerators and freezers, tables for re-packaging of donated food, and sinks for cleaning of equipment. With total expenses less than $70,000 per year, they receive no government funding, and all operating expenses for vehicles, food packaging, utilities, fuel and insurance come from private individuals, foundations, churches, and non-governmental grants. Some 100 volunteers serve Gleaners each year, driving the trucks and preparing food for distribution.The Need
Food distribution is based on numbers and characteristics of persons served in each shelter. Over 50 agencies share food donations based on need, so that Gleaners can provide food to charitable agencies that care for low-income and homeless individuals. Most involved charities pick up food donations once or twice a week, while some get a daily food distribution.History
Gleaners has in operation since 1986, Gloria MartinsonGloria Martinson
Gloria Martinson is an American philanthropist, the founder of Gleaners, a non-profit organization which helps feed the homeless, and the grandmother of the American television actress and model Lauren Jones.-Personal life:Gloria Lorraine Martinson is the wife...
started the organization from her own kitchen. The amount of food collected and distributed has increased through 2008, with food intake and outgo exceeding one million pounds. The cost per pound of food collected and distributed has remained at about six cents per pound, compared to a market value of $1.50 per pound or more than $1.5 million for all food distributed. By 2008 Gleaners had about sixty volunteers.