Portland Fruit Tree Project

The Portland Fruit Tree Project is a grassroots nonprofit organization that provides local food banks and low-income community members with access to healthy food. The Project registers fruit and nut trees throughout Portland, organizes harvesting groups to harvest and distribute the fresh produce, and provides tree care and food preservation instruction in hands-on workshops.

The organization's Harvesting Parties are open to the public on a first-come first-served basis, with 50% of the spots reserved for low-income individuals. Half of the harvested fruit is sent to local food banks, and the harvesters take home the rest. The Group Harvest Program partners with other organizations to serve local low-income and food-insecure populations in the community.

To increase equitable access to healthy food and strengthen communities by empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of city-grown produce.

In 2010, the Portland Fruit Tree Project coordinated 49 harvesting events and harvested 29,397 pounds of fruit that would have otherwise gone to waste. Half of the fruit went to local food pantries, reaching over 2,900 families in need. The other half went home with the volunteers, 60% of whom were low-income. In addition, the Project held 16 hands-on workshops, teaching 120 people skills in organic fruit tree care and food preservation.