"Harvesting love and kindness can change lives!"

After taking part in a mission trip, Jerry Althoff longed to do something to help his own community. Then a pamphlet about something called 'gleaning' arrived in the mail and, what he initially thought was junk mail, turned out to hold the answer: a way for him and his wife, Jan, to rescue leftover farm produce and get it to hungry people in need

- By Kellie B. Gormly

Jerry Althoff took the brochure out of the mailbox. Gleaning, the front read. It was the second such pamphlet he had received in recent weeks. He had tossed out the first one with the rest of the junk mail. But this time... What is gleaning? Curious, he read the information and learned it is the gathering of leftover crops from farmers to donate to the hungry.

Jerry had just returned from a mission trip to Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. He had found the work so fulfilling and longed to do more. Something to help his own Pennsylvania community.

"I think someone is trying to tell me something," he told his wife, Jan, showing her the brochure.

Immediately, the 2nd chapter of the Bible's book of Ruth came to mind, where Ruth says: "Please let me go to the field of anyone who will be kind to me. There I will gather the grain left behind by the reapers."

So much food goes to waste on farms, and so many people need food assistance, Jan thought. "Let's do something about that," she told Jerry.

Filling bellies and hearts

The first thing Jan and Jerry did was visit local food pantries to be sure they would accept the fruits and vegetables. "Yes!" was the resounding answer. Next, they recruited volunteers and contacted area farmers to make certain they'd be able to gather and deliver crops. Then, in 2009, with the help of the Society of St. Andrew, a Philadelphia hunger-relief organization, which provided advice and supplies, the couple established the Adams County Gleaning Network.