Gleaning for AFAC: CVN’s Outing to the Countryside

On September 17 a group of CVN volunteers headed out to the apple country around Winchester, VA to make a difference for people right here in Arlington. Every summer and fall the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) enlists volunteers from our community to pick slightly damaged fruits and vegetables at farms in Maryland and Virginia. Known as “gleaning,” this practice provides nutritious and tasty food to people in need while giving farmers an outlet for crops that would otherwise go to waste.

Gleaning requires lots of volunteers—people willing to venture out of the city and take on jobs that require bending, lifting, and getting very muddy/sweaty/soaking wet depending on the weather! CVN volunteers answered that call last Saturday and, despite the rain, gathered bag after bag of apples from beneath the trees at Marker Miller Orchards in Winchester (no picking off the trees, we learned, because the apples on the ground will start to spoil first).

The group had fun working together and alongside volunteers from other Northern Virginia community organizations. After packing the truck with apples, we headed over to the country market for cider, doughnuts, and local wine. What a sweet event! (See more pictures here.)

First-time CVN leaders Rachelle Stoll and Babak Yaghmaei did a fantastic job organizing the event, dealing with last minute changes, and creating a fun team dynamic. They share some of their insights from the day below.

What three words describe your experience gleaning?

Babak: Humbling, Wet, Satisfying

Rachelle: Fun, Rewarding, Yummy

What did you learn about apples/orchards/farms that CVN blog readers might not know?

Rachelle: Don't wash apples until just before you are ready to use them to prevent spoilage. Keeping the apples cool after picking them increases their shelf life.

Babak: Watch for the poison ivy! Did not know poison ivy is so abundant around apple trees.

What was the funniest/sweetest/most interesting thing that another volunteer did in the orchard?

Babak: Everyone was willing to stay as long as it took and wanted to keep picking. That to me was sweet and interesting with a side of funny.

Rachelle: By far the funniest—all the little piglets were running away from us until Michelle discovered she could speak their language. She began making a "snorting piglet noise" and they all came running back over to the fence to check us out!!!

Why should other CVN volunteers participate in gleaning next year?

Rachelle: You are providing healthy fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks while reducing the waste of unused fruits and vegetables.

Babak: More volunteers equals more food for those less fortunate. More volunteers also means more farms to partner with.

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If you want to lead a CVN as fun and exciting as Rachelle and Babak did, step right up! Training will be provided and support shared along the way. Email cvn.r.volunteering@gmail.com for more information.

Celebrate the Super Bowl by Hosting a "Souper Bowl"

Super Bowl XLV is upon us! Whether you're rooting for the Packers or the Steelers -- or just watching for the commercials -- you can turn your Super Bowl party into a great event.

Here are a few suggestions from the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC):

If you are having a Super Bowl Party, consider turning it into a "Souper" Bowl Party by including a soup food drive for AFAC. They would especially like cans of low-sodium soup and chili. Their website has a customizable flyer that you can share with your guests.

Also, starting February 28th, AFAC will no longer be providing plastic bags for their clients. The first week this new policy goes into effect, AFAC hopes to provide clients unaware of the change with a reusable bag. Please help them collect reusable bags for their 1,300 client families.

Donations of food and reusable bags can be dropped off at AFAC Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

If you cannot make it to AFAC during these hours, feel free to bring donations to CVN's next meet-up on Tuesday, February 8th, at Tortoise and Hare. We'll make sure they receive all of the donations.

Arlington County Fair: More Than Fun and Games!

The Arlington County Fair kicked off yesterday at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center. With tons of food, crazy rides, and live entertainment, there's a lot to get excited about. However, there's a lesser known side of the Fair that takes place inside the gymnasium that is definitely worth a visit. In addition to arts and crafts booths and businesses, a number of local non-profits are on site to discuss their mission and upcoming volunteer opportunities. Essentially, it's a one-stop-shop to see the array of what Arlington has to offer and how we can give back.

When looking through the list of non-profits who will be at the Fair, it's great to see how many of them have welcomed CVN as volunteers in the past. There are also many organizations we have never worked with. I encourage you to go to the fair and visit all of these groups -- you never know what volunteer opportunity might arise out of a short conversation.

Here is a short list of groups CVN has helped in the past or is planning to work with soon. If you've volunteered with them before, let them know. I bet they'd be happy to see you again!

Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC): CVN has a recurring event with AFAC where we help bag rice, beans, oatmeal, produce and other items the center buys in bulk. In fact, there is an event coming up this Saturday: http://tinyurl.com/afacrec. At their booth, they will be collecting donations of non-perishable food. Donations seem to pick up in the fall and winter, but there is a great need throughout the year.

Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) of Northern Virginia: CVN will be helping children with spin art at SCAN's booth on Saturday and Sunday: http://bit.ly/aWlI83. No prior experience is necessary, just a fun attitude!

Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment: CVN has helped ACE with stream clean-ups in the past, including the well-publicized event earlier this month where volunteers found a goat head!

Arlington Committee of 100: Starting in September, the Committee of 100 will be back with its monthly dinner meetings that include discussions of local, regional, and state interest. We hope to partner with the Committee of 100 for an educational event later this year.

Arlington YMCA: This fall, CVN will team up with the Arlington YMCA for the first time. We plan to help the YMCA host a haunted house for local children around Halloween.

If you visit the Fair and learn about a new opportunity that may be a good fit for CVN, please let us know!

Hope to see you there!

Tiffany

CVN Volunteers Needed for two events this weekend!

We've got a busy month and many volunteer opportunities to fill.  Are you available this weekend?  We are still looking for 21 more volunteers, so I hope you can join us.  Sign up below:

 

First Event: The American Heart Association's Heart's Delight, a premiere wine tasting fundraiser, needs your help with their silent auction. Volunteer to support this worthwhile cause and have some fun!

Day/date: Saturday, May 8

Time: 6:00 - 10:00 pm

Where: 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington DC (Omni Shore Hotel)

Number of volunteers needed: 9

Find out more, RSVP: http://bit.ly/heartsdelight

Please email cheryl.hackley@gmail.com with any questions!

                                                                

Second Event: The Arlington Food Assistence Center (AFAC) needs help with their biggest food drive of the year, the Letter Carriers Food Drive. Volunteers will be sorting and packing food (be prepared to do some heavy-lifting!) to be distributed to the families that depend on their aid.

 

Day/date: Sunday, May 9

Time: 2:30 - 5:30 pm

Where: 2708 S. Nelson Street, Arlington, VA

Number of volunteers needed: 12

Find out more, RSVP: http://bit.ly/AFACLetterCarrierFoodDrive

Please email CVN.m.volunteering@gmail.com with any questions!

 

 

Thanks!

 

Kellen

 

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Kellen M. MacBeth

Monthly Volunteer Chair

Community Volunteer Network (CVN)

CVN.m.volunteering@gmail.com