Tucson Fruit Harvesters - ISKASH*TAA
It is harvest time for many gardens around Tucson and later this fall and winter there will be a lot of lemons, limes, oranges, tangerine and grapefruit trees with fruit to be harvested. A lot of this fruit will simply fall to the ground and become something you have to pick up and throw away.
Did you know there is an organization in Tucson that helps refugees? They will harvest the fruit from your trees and distribute it to those in need?
I’m going to guess most of us have never heard of them and looking them up in the phone books isn’t easy because of the name. It has taken a little tracking to get this information in one place.
This is a good organization, doing a great work in Tucson with a name no one can remember and few have heard. Oh did I forget to tell the name? It is ISKASH*TAA. That rolls on the tongue nicely doesn’t it. Fruit Harvesters is easier to remember.
Here is what I could extract from the brochure.
Help us locate and redistribute unused locally grown food in your neighborhood!
Iskash*taa Refugee Harvesting Network is a group of volunteers working with African refugees on a project to identify and map food resources growing in Tucson. We are making a computer-generated map and database of fruit tree and garden locations in neighborhoods like yours. We are educating Tucson about our local food system and reducing food waste while helping hundreds of refugee families. We harvest 20,000 pounds a year from backyards and local farms and redistribute any available food surpluses, donating to organizations assisting families in need.
If you are able to contribute/donate excess fruit or vegetables OR would simply like your garden/trees added to our database, please contact us:
Barbara Eiswerth (520) 440-0100, harvest@fruitmappers.org
We can harvest and transport your fruit (as much as you desire) or you can harvest.
Visit our website: http://www.fruitmappers.org
I also stumbled upon this brochure for Ugly Mug Fair Trade Coffee which seems to be a part of their organization.
Finally one more resource: Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona.
There are thousands of fruit trees in Tucson yards. The fruit from these trees can be harvested and help feed families. This sounds like a win/win for all of Tucson.
Technorati Tags: African Refugees, Tucson Fruit Harvesters, Tucson Fruit Mappers Organization, Tucson Volunteers, Ugly Mug Fair Trade Coffee, Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona[where: 85737]
