Portland Fruit Tree Project

The Portland Fruit Tree Project provides a sustainable community-based solution to address food insecurity. The program organizes people to gather fruit before it falls, and make it available to those who need it most. They register fruit and nut trees throughout the city, bring people together to harvest and distribute thousands of pounds of fresh fruit each year, and teach tree care and food preservation during hands-on workshops. Half of the slots at harvesting parties are reserved for people living on low incomes. Fifty percent of fruit harvested goes to local food banks, while the other half goes home with volunteers.

By empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of urban fruit trees, the Portland Fruit Tree Project is preventing waste, building community knowledge and resources, and creating sustainable, cost-free ways to obtain healthy, locally-grown food.

The mission of the Portland Fruit Tree Project is to increase equitable access to healthy food and strengthen communities by empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of city-grown food resources.

In 2009, Portland Fruit Tree Project harvested over 14,000 pounds of fruit that would have otherwise gone to waste, putting fresh organic produce on the table for over 1,500 families in need.

Portland Fruit Tree Project also held two Group Harvests in partnership with Impact NW, and Mt. Scott Alternative School, and eight hands-on workshops in tree pruning and food preservation with 80 total attendees.