Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bring my kids?

Willing Hands Gleaners are invited onto working farms; our current policy is that Gleaning volunteers must be 14 years of age and older with some select sites permitting younger helpers. The Willing Hands Gardens are great spots where we can welcome younger volunteers (age 6+) who are accompanied by a responsible adult volunteer. Any minor children wishing to volunteer with you must have a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian - email Volunteer@willinghands.org to get the waiver link for children.

If you have additional questions about whether our youngest helpers can join for specific events, please contact Sara at sara@willinghands.org

How long are volunteer sessions?

Each Farm Glean event lasts 1.5 hours - we get a lot done in that time together! It is important to show up at the start time, to meet your leaders and fellow volunteers and get safety and site orientation as a group. Garden volunteer events at the Farmacy and Garden at 198 Church Street Garden also last 1.5 hours. The sessions at the WH Garden at Cedar Circle Farm last 2 hours.

What happens if there is inclement weather?

You can generally assume we will keep our plans to garden or glean in light rain. However, if there is a forecast that is definitive for heavy rain or thunderstorms during garden or gleaning hours, we will NOT be in the fields. Our policy is that if you can hear thunder, no matter how distant, we will not garden or glean. We also will not go into the fields within an hour of the last heard thunder after a storm has passed. Garden & Gleaning coordinators will do their best to send out an email at least an hour and a half before meet time to cancel if radar or other info makes it clear that the session is a non-starter. Please monitor your inbox if it's looking 'iffy!' And, even if we have not sent a cancellation note, and you hear thunder, or if there is heavy rain, please use your best judgement and stay home!

Further, if forecasts are for extreme heat, please don't be hesitant to sit out a session - just send us an email to let us know you won't make it! Health and safety are the priority for all!

How will I know where the glean is?

After you sign up, you'll see a page with the address of the glean and helpful information about what to bring. This is the only place the actual address appears on the website so it is useful to write it down or print it out.
You will, however, also receive an email with the same information and a link back to that web page. If you want to check out your history of participation or have the email resent if you lost it, go to the Volunteer page and click on the Signups button there to get another email.

Who can I contact with questions that are event-specific?

Alec Fannin is the Gleaning Coordinator and Carolyn Frye is our Volunteer Gleaning Leader. Both Alec and Carolyn can be reached at gleaning@willinghands.org. Mikey Van Siclen is our Farming Coordinator, email: garden@willinghands.org. We are always happy to help!

I forgot to write down the glean address!

The email you receive after you sign up includes a link to information about the glean, including the address. If you have signed up for the glean but have lost this email, go to the Volunteer page and click on the Signups button there to get another email. If you have any trouble, contact us for Gleans or Garden events

You can go to My Page at any time to update your contact information, see your gleaning history, or review the information about gleans that you have signed up for.

What should I do if my contact information changes?

If you picked a password when you first registered, you can go to My Page at any time to update your contact information, see your gleaning history, or review the information about gleans that you have signed up for. If you did not pick a password, you can add one by using the Update button on the Volunteer page.

If you are changing contact information like your email address or phone number, go to the Volunteer page and click on 'Update'. If you need to make a name change, write to Sara at sara@willinghands.org.

How are gleans planned?

Farmers contact Willing Hands when they have surplus crops for gleaning. The number of volunteers needed is determined by the amount of produce available and the time required to harvest. Some of our farm partners schedule weekly gleans at regular times, but we may have to cancel if it turns out there won't be enough crops remaining for our volunteer gleaners to harvest.

Why is there surplus produce available?

There are many factors that contribute to surplus produce being available for Willing Hands. The unpredictable weather that effects produce production, the opportune harvest time of a particular crop, the fluctuating market for local produce and the demands of the staff at each farm all play a role in crop management.

Can gleaners take produce home from gleans?

Willing Hands is a charitable organization and our volunteers have elected to serve our mission of recovering food to improve health and increase food access for our neighbors in need. Our farm donors are donating their food to support this mission. If you are in need of nutritious food and lack the means to purchase it, please Contact Us directly and we would be happy to help.