Donate Crops, Funds, Vehicles & More
We rely on your donations and support to deliver on our mission.
Help us Feed San Diego’s Hungry Families
Residential Crops
Improve the health of your fruit trees, eliminate food waste and obtain a tax receipt for your donation.
Farm Crops
We train, supervise, and hold liability coverage for all our volunteers.
Monetary
We depend on monetary and vehicle donations, grants, bequests, and fundraisers to run our organization.
Other Support
Besides harvesting and hauling food, you can help promote our mission in many ways.
San Diego County Residents
We keep your fruit from going to waste or ending up in methane-generating landfills.
Additional Benefits
- Improved health of fruit trees
- A year-end receipt for tax donation purposes
- Assurance of security for your property and donation. The federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects food donors. Senior Gleaners carries organizational liability insurance.
NOTE: During the busy harvest season, it may be two to three weeks before we contact you to schedule a crew.
Helpful Tips
- Contact us 2-3 weeks before you think your harvest will be ready
- Near your scheduled picking date, check for ripeness by sampling some fruit. Most citrus won’t ripen after it’s picked. If it isn’t ready, reschedule to save repeat visits.
- Bag all citrus tree trimmings and put them into the garbage rather than into green waste. This will help slow the spread of the Asian Citrus Psyllid.
Farmers & Growers
You’re Protected
We train, supervise, and hold liability coverage for all volunteers who glean with us. The Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act:
- Protects you from civil and criminal liability should a product donated in good faith cause harm
- Standardizes donor liability exposure
- Sets a floor of “gross negligence” or intentional misconduct for persons who donate grocery products
Types of Crops We Glean
- Quality produce that is not commercially viable
- Weather-damaged crops
- Produce from bypassed fields
- Non-machine harvestable crops
- Pollinator trees
- Secondary growth
We will also pick up crops that have already been harvested and work with partner agencies to handle large volumes.
Food donors may be eligible for state and federal tax deductions or tax credits. We mail a detailed receipt for tax return purposes. Read instructions about deductions and credits.
Ways to Donate
Donate Directly
We accept all major credit cards, Venmo, and PayPal.
We don’t charge for our voluntary services, relying totally on donations to fund our operations. Senior Gleaners of San Diego County is a 501(c)3 non-profit with EIN: 33-0571701.
Mail a check to:
Senior Gleaners
PO Box 600521
San Diego, CA 92160
For other ways to donate contact: info@seniorgleanerssdco.org
Benevity connects corporations to nonprofits by sending employee contributions (often matched by the employer) directly to worthy causes.
Use Your IRA Distribution
Consider rolling over part of your IRA’s required minimum distribution to us. You will pay no income tax on your gift. Contact your IRA plan administrator to transfer funds to Senior Gleaners. The funds are excluded from your adjusted gross income.
Other Ways to Support
Spread the Word
- Request a quantity of our brochures to distribute in your neighborhood, community centers and libraries. They are available in both English and Spanish. Download or link to copies from our Documents page.
- Keep informed–tell friends and family what we are doing
- Email info@seniorgleanerssdco.org with “subscribe” in the subject line to receive news from us.
- Read recent newsletters
- Like us on Facebook
Help with Other Needs
- Donate a truck or van for hauling produce and groceries
- Help repair and maintain our existing vehicles
- Provide new or used orchard ladders, pruning shears, and buckets
Share Skills and Talents
- Join our board, which meets quarterly. Members work on projects matching their skills and interests and need not be over 55 years of age
- Staff displays at community events or give presentations to civic groups
- Help with marketing, photography, connecting with news media or other outreach efforts
Recommend a Grant
We apply for grants from numerous organizations to help us deliver on our mission. Please contact us if you know of a grant we would benefit from.
Donate a Vehicle
The CARS vehicle donation program accepts nearly any kind of vehicle—running or not—from most U.S. locations. (Tell friends and family in other states.) Call or use the online form to schedule a free pickup.
Make a Bequest
We are thankful to people who have made bequests to Senior Gleaners in their wills. Please notify us when you specify funds for Senior Gleaners of San Diego County.
Set Up a Fundraiser
Organize fundraisers benefiting Senior Gleaners in lieu of gifts for birthdays, holidays or other occasions. Better still, create a matching gift fund to encourage other donations.
Donate A Vehicle Using CARS
Donate a Vehicle — Just like board member Joe Strasser
Senior Gleaners board member and crew leader Joe Strasser of Fallbrook recently donated his high mileage Prius to Careasy to benefit our organization. Big THANKS to Joe!
Joe joins several gleaner volunteers, resident donors and our administrative assistant in donating to Careasy. The process is quick and simple with no fees charged to the vehicle owner.
Donate today to qualify for a tax deduction.
Support Senior Gleaners and take care of that unwanted vehicle. Donors pay no fees and receive credit for tax deductions.
Start the easy process online or by phone: Toll-free at (855) 500-RIDE or (855) 500-7433.
CARS accepts most types of vehicles (running or not) including cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, campers, off-road vehicles, planes, heavy equipment, farm machinery and most other motorized vehicles including ATVs and personal watercraft.
CARS handles all the paperwork to sell the vehicle, sends you a receipt for tax purposes, and mails proceeds to Senior Gleaners.
CARS operates nationwide. Tell your friends in other states that Senior Gleaners can receive funds from any location.