1994 – 2024
30 Years of Harvesting and Sharing
Fighting Food Insecurity
We feed the hungry by gathering surplus crops and unsold groceries for food distributors across San Diego County. Help us by volunteering, donating or both!
Latest News
Mexican Fruit Fly Seriously Impacts Gleaning!
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has quarantined 173 square miles of San Diego County. Senior Gleaners is legally prohibited from picking many types of produce including apple, lemon, pomegranate, avocado, orange, grapefruit and pear. See the complete list here.
This unfortunate, but necessary, action has effectively stopped our operations in our East District, and severely hampered the food we can collect in the Central and South Districts.
To see if your property is included in the quarantined area, you can enter your address in the CDFA interactive map.
In the Community
Summer is one of the best times of the year to glean lemons. So what could be more perfect than the Senior Gleaners participating in the Chula Vista Lemon Festival!
After a seven year absence, Chula Vista’s HarborFest returned to the delight of many. The cool breezes coming off the bay kept the temperature delightful for all!
Philanthropic Partners
Senior Gleaners was surprised once again by SPARC, Inc. with a $5000 gift! We regularly glean at Palomar Estates East and West in San Marcos, two of the SPARC communities.
This gift will help us continue rescuing and distributing food to those in need and making a direct impact where it’s most needed.
Thank you, SPARC, for believing in our mission and standing with us in service to others.
Senior Gleaners Has Partnered with GivingIQ As a Non-Cash Giving Option
Thanks to an anonymous donor who recently gifted stock shares to Senior Gleaners, we are excited to announce our new partnership with GivingIQ (previously known as DonateStock). GivingIQ’s mission is to make it easy to donate non-cash assets, such as stock, donor-advised funds, qualified charitable contributions and even cryptocurrency! It’s safe, free and easy for you, completely eliminating tedious paperwork. It’s just as seamless for your financial advisor, saving them from processing complex forms. You will be kept in the loop throughout the entire process and will receive a tax receipt the moment your gift is processed. (Prefer to have your investment advisor handle everything? GivingIQ features an advisor option, allowing them to quickly securely initiate the gift on your behalf.)
You should always speak with your tax professional first, but the tax benefits of this approach are substantial. By directly donating appreciated assets that you have held for more than one year, you completely avoid the capital gains tax you would have owed if you sold the stock yourself. This means the full power of your gift goes directly toward feeding hungry people, rather than going to Uncle Sam! Plus, you can generally deduct the full fair market value of the stock on your income taxes if you itemize. Click here to see our page and learn more.
San Diego Senior Gleaners Achieves Gold
Seal of Transparency! 
We are thrilled to announce that San Diego Senior Gleaners has officially progressed from the Silver Seal to the prestigious Gold Seal of Transparency with Candid! 
This achievement reflects our commitment to transparency and accountability in serving our community. Thank you for your continued support! 
Volunteer
We welcome volunteers 55 years and above. Sign up today by completing our online form.
Donate a Crop
Our crews glean from as few as one or two backyard trees, orchards and farms. If you have fruit/crops to donate, please register your property. You receive a receipt for tax deductions.
Donate Funds
We rely on grants and donations from our volunteers, their family members and residents. Please support our work with funds, vehicles and more.
Reduce Waste
About 40% of landfill volume is organic material — much of it food waste, producing harmful methane gas. Learn better ways to shop, store food and protect the environment.
Gleaners in Action
What’s a Gleaner? For centuries, gleaners have collected food that would otherwise be wasted. The term originates from landowners leaving portions of their fields or crops for the poor to glean — collect bit by bit.
We Made Quite a Community Impact in 2025
242,330
Pounds Crops Picked
175,827
Pounds Groceries Collected
7669
Volunteer Hours Recorded
355
San Diego County Resident Donors
Read What San Diegans are Saying About Us
Residential Fruit Donor
“I rely on the gleaning crew to help me pick my trees. I donate in memory of my wife who planted them many years ago.”
Leonard S.
Senior Volunteer
“Why I like gleaning: It’s useful, fun, outdoors, reduces waste, feeds people. When picking I’m enmeshed in layers of generosity: from those who grow the food; from pickers who give time, work, gas; from distributors; and from many recipients who share the food with family and neighbors.”
Anne G.S.
Monetary Donor
“My daughter is one of your volunteers and she feels strongly about the organization.”
Linda L.
Surplus Food Distributor
“Our clients are delighted to see fresh fruit and more-so when they learn it was donated and picked by neighbors.”
Angela W., Heaven’s Windows
Your Questions Answered
What does the Senior Gleaners organization do?
We provide quality food, otherwise wasted, to those needing it the most while giving meaningful activity to seniors.
How can I contribute to Senior Gleaners?
Volunteer to harvest crops, collect groceries, donate equipment and funds or employ special skills to support our mission.
How do I get started at my first glean?
After you register, a crew leader will contact you and assign you to a glean. They will also provide a brief orientation with helpful tips and information about the property. New grocery volunteers join crews using their own vehicles or a Senior Gleaners van.
Want to give us a try before joining or bringing a friend?
Get a Guest Waiver and give it to the crew leader at the glean. We also require the waiver for ALL minor guests who must be at least five years old.
How are gleans planned?
Our system assigns donors to the crew leader covering their geographic area. We meet or speak with crop owners and discuss logistics before scheduling the glean.
Who should I contact if I have additional questions?
Email info@seniorgleanerssdco.org or call 619.633.9180. We are always happy to assist you.
