

Volunteers pick leftover fruit to feed hungry

February 9, 2011 12:00:00 AM PST
Imagine being able to help feed the hungry without having to spend a dime.

That is exactly what Helena David has done. She spends several hours a day picking unused fruits off of trees in her Burbank neighborhood to donate to her local shelter.

"There were so many trees that are just going to waste," David said. "One day I was talking to my husband and I said, 'I don't understand why people don't give the fruits,' and he said 'Well, honey, people don't think the way you do.'"

Elena, along with her husband Scott, son Aaron and friend Bridget Keenan, have a goal to gather and donate 100,000 pieces of fruit in 2011.

"I followed along with her and I get text messages in the morning, 'Are you up? Let's go!' Keenan said.

When David goes knock door to door for the fruit, she said she gets more positive responses than negative ones.

"There are some people that use their fruit, but we have people say, 'Can you come and take half? Can you come and take 300?' And leave the rest for us," Keenan said.

In just a couple of hours on Wednesday, they were able to gather about 1,000 pieces of fruit, and on a really good day depending on the kind of trees they have, they can gather as many as 2,000 to 3,000 pieces of fruit.

The group is looking for help.

Anyone wishing to donate their fruit or volunteer to pick fruit can visit their website at www.thosewhocare.co.cc

Load Comments