Many of us feel the responsibility to look after the poor and those in need among us. In 1996, Senator (then Commissioner) Dinniman was called to take action inspired by the Bible story in Leviticus which instructed his farming followers “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you.”

Senator Dinniman initiated the Chester County Gleaning Program in 1996 so that this harvesting of the land could be put into real action.

Harvesting and crop maintenance requires hundreds of volunteers. For many years the hardworking and much loved Elmer Duckinfield had the responsibility of finding sufficient volunteers for weeding and harvesting when farmers designated the crop for donation. A Herculean task, but through his knowledge of local communities, Elmer was able to coordinate hundreds of volunteers from churches and local community groups.

At its beginning, Larry Welsch, current Executive Director of the Chester County Food Bank, was the Gleaning Program Coordinator for Chester County Cares contacting farmers willing to donate produce and arranging distribution to food cupboards.

In addition, the Gleaning Program encouraged people of all faiths, companies, youth groups, public and private schools and local community groups to establish and maintain raised beds gardens so that volunteer groups could grow produce to be donated to food cupboards. Local groups were provided with lumber, compost, seeds and young plants.

Pete Flynn of Pete’s Produce Farm, West Chester, was the first farmer to dedicate a portion of his farmland to grow food for the Gleaning Program. The original program focused on collecting crops that were specifically grown for gleaning or crops that remained after the farmer’s harvested for profit. Pete’s dedication to providing fresh food access to all has expanded through the years.

In 2009, the Gleaning Program was adopted and transformed by a newly created hunger relief organization, the Chester County Food Bank. Larry Welsch was appointed Executive Director of this new organization and Pete became a founding Board member and is still active on the Board.

Today, Pete dedicates four acres of his land to growing a variety of crops including tomatoes and sweet corn. Food Bank volunteers help plant, grow, weed and harvest the land donated by farm partners, including Pete’s Produce Farm.
In 2013 the Food Bank grew its Agricultural Program and added its own on-staff farmer and soon after a raised bed garden manager.

Through its Agricultural Program, the Food Bank grows its own seedlings and manages land at four growing farm partners, increasing production and diversifying crops for donation to food cupboards and agencies. With the help of thousands of volunteers, organized by an on-staff Volunteer Coordinator, the Food Bank grows and harvest over 200,000 pounds of produce from our farm partners. Elmer Duckinfield is now fully retired from his duties organizing volunteers but still enjoys a visit to the Food Bank.

Through its Agricultural Program, the Food Bank grows its own seedlings and manages land at four growing farm partners, increasing production and diversifying crops for donation to food cupboards and agencies. With the help of thousands of volunteers, organized by an on-staff Volunteer Coordinator, the Food Bank grows and harvest over 200,000 pounds of produce from our farm partners. Elmer Duckinfield is now fully retired from his duties organizing volunteers but still enjoys a visit to the Food Bank.

Today, through the management of the Chester County Food Bank, there are 125 raised bed garden sites throughout the county being hosted at a diversity of locations from corporations to schools. C.F. Patton Middle School in Unionville and K.D. Markley in Malvern use raised bed gardens and high tunnels to increase fresh food production and gain a valuable teaching tool for students. The Food Bank’s Agricultural Program has also led to the awareness of the need to provide information on food, nutrition and education both in schools and communities.

Senator Dinniman is immensely proud that for over 20 years his initiative of gleaning the harvest has expanded into an incredibly successful agricultural program, enabling neighbors struggling with food insecurity to receive fresh local produce. “The program developed into the Chester County Food Bank and has evolved into the finest Food Bank program in the nation, providing not just fresh fruit and vegetables but information on nutrition,” stated the Senator.

he Gleaning Program established the agricultural roots for the Chester County Food Bank which continues to have a focus on fresh produce as it works to distribute over 2.5 million pounds of food to those struggling with food insecurity in Chester County.

For more information about the Chester County Food Bank and how you can volunteer please visit www.chestercountyfoodbank.org.