Ontario Christian Gleaners feeds millions around the world
CAMBRIDGE, ON - Three years after opening its doors, Ontario Christian Gleaners has reached the milestone of producing more than 10 million servings of soup.
Since 2008, the non-profit, interdenominational Christian organization has been accepting surplus and non-marketable vegetables and fruit from farmers. They use it to produce dehydrated soup mix and snacks to help meet the nutritional needs of millions of people in 32 countries.
"We don't care if a vegetable is light green or dark green, too big or too small. As long as the produce is clean and nutritionally sound then it is good for us," says Shelley Stone, the facility's manager.
It is estimated that more than 30,000 children die each day of hunger and illness related to malnutrition.
"Twenty-five years ago that number was 45,000 a day," says Stone. "We are making headway, but we have a ways to go."
The Gleaners operate solely on donations. They accept vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, dry beans, cauliflower and broccoli. Fruits such as apples and pears are dehydrated to make nutritious dried snacks for kids. The organization then donates it to reputable organizations with logistics to distribute the food where it is needed.
Stone is also quick to point out that reaching the 10 million milestone would not have been possible without the many dedicated volunteers who have assisted the Gleaners over the past three years.
"On average," she says, "52 people volunteer with us [each day]. We once had 80 people and yes, they all had work."
Together they are responsible for producing 30,000 servings of soup each day.
"Our volunteers are the oil that keeps this place going," she adds. "We operate on a first name basis and there is a real sense of community at the Gleaners."
Harry Hulbora, 75, has been donating his time at the Gleaners since day one. He is usually found at the back of the facility operating the machine that finely chops the vegetables after they have been chopped by hand.
"Not everyone can work this machine," he says with a smile while explaining how easily it can become clogged.
A typical volunteer day at the Morrison Road facility includes an inspirational team meeting at 8:45 a.m., washing and chopping vegetables, cleaning pails, drying the vegetables in a belt dryer and packaging the soup mix.
About 75 minutes into the 'work day' a coffee break is served. The break provides the volunteers with an opportunity to mingle with one another and hear how they are making a difference.
In a recent report board chairman Ed Grinhuis wrote, "We continue to receive glowing reports from orphanages, schools, medical centres and refugee camps around the world. Our soup mix is filling stomachs and changing lives."
In addition to supplying food for the hungry, the Gleaners is also making a mark on the environment.
"Environmentally we are having a huge impact," she says. "Before we opened, this produce would have ended up in landfills or as compost."
The Gleaners also recycles used plastic pails from the Toronto area that are then used to ship the soup mix.
"We have been told that these pails are used a stools," she says, "as buckets for water and for digging holes."
As for the future, Stone says it is unlikely the Cambridge facility will get any bigger.
"We are already operating at our maximum capacity. However, it would be great to see another Gleaners start up in Ontario."
Last month, as part of its anniversary celebrations, the Gleaners hosted an open house, providing tours of the facility.
"The event was an opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to the community and to our neighbours. We want people to know who we are and what we are doing," says Stone.
Another event taking place is an awareness concert, featuring Eduard Klassen and his Paraguayan harp, on November 12 at Central Presbyterian Church in Cambridge.
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