When Meyer lemons recently hung heavy on the branches at Judith Glenn's Riverside home, she didn't let them go to waste. She contacted Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino, which sent volunteers to harvest the citrus for distribution to neighbors facing food insecurity.
Glenn first heard about the gleaning program during a tour of the food bank's Jefferson Street facility and had her property gleaned once before the pandemic. When citrus gleaning resumed after a pause due to fruit insect concerns, she called again.
"I was impressed that total strangers cared about the fruit waste enough to get out of bed early in the morning, dress warmly and bring gloves and tools," Glenn said. "They were like-minded humans."
She has since shared the program information with friends and neighbors.
The harvest was part of the food bank's gleaning program, which collects excess fresh produce from residential properties, farms, gardens and other sources throughout the Inland Empire.
When properties begin to overflow at the peak of harvest season, Feeding America sends volunteer teams to pick fruits and vegetables. The produce is then distributed at no cost through the food bank's hunger relief programs.
Luis Molina, volunteer services supervisor, said the harvested produce typically reaches families within 24 to 72 hours. A single residential property can yield between 100 and 1,400 pounds depending on the number of trees. Last week, volunteers gleaned 330 pounds from one Meyer lemon tree in Riverside.
"The most surprising thing volunteers discover when they participate in a gleaning event for the first time is the amount and weight of produce that can be collected from a two-hour volunteer shift," Molina said.
Last year, the food bank conducted 33 gleaning events throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties, harvesting 23,869 pounds of produce from residential backyards, farmland and other properties with fruit trees.
"In Riverside County, we have lots of citrus trees, so we tend to see more oranges, grapefruit and tangerines," said Rachel Bonilla, marketing and engagement manager at Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino. "However, through select sites, we've been able to glean pomegranates, apples and avocados."
Volunteers use specialized fruit-picking tools to harvest citrus from Inland Empire properties during Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino gleaning events. The food bank conducted 33 gleanings in 2025, collecting nearly 24,000 pounds of fresh produce for distribution to families facing food insecurity. (Courtesy of FARSB)
The food bank sees a spike in gleaning activity during late winter and early spring as citrus harvest peaks. Bonilla said the organization is working to expand the program to include winter vegetables like carrots, beets and potatoes, which would allow fresh produce distribution throughout the entire year.
The program diverted nearly 24,000 pounds of produce from landfills in 2025 while feeding neighbors across the two counties. It provides fresh produce to families facing cost or availability barriers and builds connections among community members and local food resources.
The biggest challenge facing the gleaning program is awareness, according to Bonilla.
"There isn't too much known about gleaning, so often we have trouble getting volunteers to do it since they don't know what they're signing up for," she said. "This also makes it difficult to find more properties to glean, as homeowners don't know that they could be a gleaning site and support our food bank that way."
Many Inland Empire residential properties produce more citrus than homeowners can use. The program ensures this surplus reaches neighbors who otherwise lack access to fresh produce.
As the program grows, the food bank hopes more property owners will host gleanings and more volunteers will fill available shifts.
Gleaning opportunities vary based on season and current produce availability.
More information: Property owners interested in hosting a gleaning can contact Luis Molina, volunteer services supervisor, at lmolina@feedingamericaie.org or (951) 396-0009. Those interested in volunteering can find available shifts at feedingamericaie.org/gleaning.
