2014 Fresh Produce Preservation Project Report

Becky and Dora

The Fresh Produce Preservation Project (FPPP), started in 2010, perfectly complements the Gathering’s mission to feed the hungry and to do so with respect and dignity. By increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in our meals, we increase the nutritional value and food options available to our guests. Over the past four years, the FPPP has continued to expand and improve. This year, we welcomed a new Fresh Produce Project Manager: UW-Milwaukee Conservation and Environmental Sciences student, Dora.

Dora’s environmental focus brought new recipes, new connections and new knowledge to the project. One notable new partner was Duane, from Compost Express. Duane brought us produce such as plums, apples, peaches, corn, onions, potatoes and more that was in good shape and would have otherwise been composted. In addition, Duane took all remaining compostable materials from the project so we could limit our waste.

We also continued partnerships with the Hunger Task Force Farm and the Witte’s Vegetable Farm, who once again donated the majority of the project’s produce. We received contributions of apples again this year from the Mequon Nature Preserve, and additional produce from the UWM Food and Garden Club. We are grateful for their continued contributions. Dr. Phillips from UW-Milwaukee (whose class partnered with us last year for our COOLBOT project) also remained a strong partner, continuing to bring classes to assist with the project. Special thanks again, to All Saints Cathedral for allowing us to use their space for our Coolbot.

Produce colunteers picked apples at the Mequon Nature Preserve

As always, our mighty volunteer force made the project possible. With almost 70 volunteers, 23% returning and 77% new, there were plenty of hands on deck. New volunteers included Milwaukee Public School students, a service group from NEWaukee, and Marquette University volunteers among other individuals and groups. Volunteers chopped peppers, canned apple pie filling, picked potatoes, onions and carrots and went out of their way to put away as much produce as possible for use in our community meals. Already in winter of 2015 we have used frozen potatoes in dishes, mirepoix in soups and sauces, and greens and poblano peppers in casseroles. Not to mention the onions. Let’s just say, by the end of the produce season, we were all in tears.

Thanks again to everyone who made the project possible this year. We are proud of the work we do to contribute to health and sustainability in Milwaukee and we are looking forward to what next season will bring.

Check out these all-star volunteers who reached service milestones in 2014:

100+ Hours Volunteering with the FPPP Eileen Duffey - 105 total hours

30+ Hours Volunteering with the FPPP Jill Kortebein - 45 total hours Lisa Kortebein - 30 total hours

Dora and returning produce project volunteers after a pepper-filled session

TOTAL PRODUCE PRESERVED 1964 lbs. frozen vegetables, 30 quarts apple pie filling

478 lbs of carrots, 400 lbs of corn, 384 lbs of potatoes, 300 lbs of onions, 140 lbs of poblano peppers, 123 lbs of bell peppers, 70 lbs of mirepoix (carrot, onion and celery mixture), 40 lbs of green beans, 29 lbs tomatoes

Welcome Becky

Becky fills in as a cook for the Gathering's easter meal

Becky Long, our former Marquette Trinity Fellow, has taken a full time job with the Gathering as Program and Volunteer Manager. Becky graduated from Marquette University in May with her Masters in Public Service and Non Profit Leadership. In her last two years with the Gathering, Becky managed all aspects of the Fresh Produce Preservation Project and headed up our expansion into the social media arena. In her new position, Becky will oversee all programming for the Gathering (including meal sites, produce preservation, on-site collaborations and new ventures) as well as assuming primary responsibility for our leadership volunteers (including recruitment, training, scheduling, supervising and celebrating).

Becky has a passion for the population we serve and for telling their stories. We are excited that Becky has chosen to continue as part of our community!

On Site Services - FY 2012/2013

MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM - 1,121 Contacts A contributing factor to homelessness is mental illness. Our collaboration with the Homeless Outreach Nursing Center focuses on connecting with and stabilizing the lives of the homeless mentally ill. Twice weekly at our Breakfast Program, mental health staff provided information/referral and general screening services to 782 guests and direct mental health services to 339.

Robert, a long term volunteer with the Breakfast Program

LEGAL ASSISTANCE - 68 Clinics

Unresolved legal issues are often barriers to housing and job acquisition/retention. Our collaboration with the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, along with volunteer attorneys, addresses such issues at both our Breakfast and Dinner Programs on a weekly basis. At the Breakfast site, 49 clinics serving 123 guests were held. Municipal citations comprised 33% of issues dealt with; next closest, all at 6%, were driver’s license recovery, criminal, and landlord/tenant issues. The Dinner site offered 19 clinics serving 17 guests with the majority of issues focusing on landlord/tenant and municipal citations.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE - 39 visits

Staff from St. Ben’s Medical Clinic provided blood pressure checks and medical referrals at our breakfast site for 244 guests and conducted flu shot clinics serving 55 guests.

SUNDRIES FROM THE AVENUE - 25,060 Items Distributed

Toiletry items (soap, lotion, shampoo, laundry soap, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant) were distributed monthly to guests at our St. James’ Saturday Lunch by Sundries from the Avenue, a ministry of St. James’ Episcopal Church. This ministry is particularly important at this downtown location where a majority of Gathering guests are homeless.

BAG LUNCH/SANDWICH PROJECT - 82 Distributions

Sixteen different groups provided bag lunches or sandwiches for Gathering guests to take home with them following the Saturday Lunch meals. This is especially important on Saturdays since the next large scale meal available is not until noon Sunday. An estimated 13,625 bag lunches were distributed valued at $20,438.

Preservation Peppers donated by the Witte's Vegetable Farm c/o Bill Balbach

FRESH PRODUCE PRESERVATION PROJECT - 1,330 Pounds Frozen

This project (in its third year in 2012) focuses on preserving excess donated produce received during the growing season for use in our winter meals, providing additional flavor and nutrition. The 2012 growing season suffered a severe drought affecting the amount of produce available. However, 2,225 pounds of bell peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and green beans were still donated by area farmers, gardeners and food banks. 43 volunteers (270 donated hours) processed the donations into 1,330 pounds of frozen produce.

Coolbot Cooler Room Construction Almost Completed

You may have heard of a project the Gathering is doing thanks to a grant from the UWM Cultures and Communities Program Office. Through this grant, the Gathering is partnering with UWM professor Dr. Phillips and her undergraduate class entitled "Practical Approaches to a Sustainable Future." The class is growing their own produce in ten garden beds. They are learning the science behind creating sustainable human systems and food production. As an added bonus, the class will be working with the Gathering's Fresh Produce Preservation Project to learn how to safely preserve the produce they have grown. 

Already, the class has donated close to fifty pounds of produce to the Gathering's Fresh Produce Preservation Project.

Another perk of working together, is that the Gathering is constructing a Coolbot Cooler room (pictured above!). In a space donated by All Saint's Cathedral, construction has begun! The room is made out of studded wall panels with polystyrene foam insulated walls. Using a window a/c unit and some innovative technology known as a Coolbot, the insulated room will be able to get down to temperatures close to 30 degrees F. This room is perfect for storing produce while it is waiting to be preserved! It greatly increases the Gathering's ability to accept produce donations and is a huge asset to the Fresh Produce Preservation Project.

Construction on the room should be done by the end of this week, just in time for the UWM student's preservation session in early October. Stay tuned for more pictures and updates! Special thanks to all of our supporters who made this room possible, especially All Saint's Cathedral, the UWM Cultures and Communities Program Office as well as Dr. Phillips. Also, thanks to board member Jim Lerquin who did much of the room's physical construction! and Ron Khosla, creator of the Coolbot who has been crucial in answering our Coolbot questions.

Fresh Produce Preservation Project Update

The Fresh Produce Preservation Project (FPPP) was started in 2010. Milwaukee area food sources donated large amounts of extra produce and the Gathering staff and volunteers froze and preserved the produce to be used in winter meals. Since 2010, the FPPP has relied on many volunteers who have preserved approximately 5,938 pounds of corn, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, basil, bell peppers, apples, onions and more.

As someone who came into the project with a lot of interest but not a lot of answers, I am amazed when I think about all I have learned in my first year with the FPPP. From freezing, canning and food handling courses to practicing recipes and interacting with some really positive and motivating volunteers, it has been a year of real growth. In the off season this year, I have been lucky enough to meet with a lot of Milwaukee area food preservationists and food justice organizations. Everyone I have come in contact with has been supportive of the FPPP’s mission and has offered to circulate information or help with produce donations. Through these connections I hope to strengthen the project’s presence in Milwaukee as well as increase produce donations.

One particularly interesting connection the FPPP has made this year has been with the Cultures and Communities Program office at UW-Milwaukee, thanks to a Community-University Partnership grant. With this grant, the Gathering will be teaming up with Dr. Phillips (Program Coordinator of the Conservation and Environmental Sciences department) on a project entitled, “Practical Approaches to a Sustainable Future with the FPPP.” Through this project, twenty students will be growing their own produce in garden beds on campus. The students will then harvest the produce and, through a preservation session with The Gathering staff and volunteers, will preserve it and donate it to the FPPP where it will be used in winter meals.

Special Thanks to everyone who volunteered last season!

Additional Program Information: FY 2011/2012

Mental Health – 1,345 contacts One of the contributing factors to homelessness is mental illness.  Our collaboration with the Homeless Outreach Nursing Center focuses on connecting with and stabilizing the lives of the homeless mentally ill.  At our breakfast site mental health staff provided information/referral and general screening services to 981 Gathering breakfast guests, and direct mental health services to 364.

Produce Preservation Project – 3,496 pounds frozen

2011 was the second year of our fresh produce preservation project, designed to preserve excess donated produce received during the growing season.  The preserved produce was used in our winter meals, providing additional flavor and nutrition.  Fifty-eight (58) volunteers supported by Gathering staff froze 3,496 pounds of basil, bell peppers, cabbage, green beans and zucchini donated from farmers, gardeners and food banks.

Medical Assistance – 11 visits

Staff from St. Ben’s Medical Clinic provided blood pressure checks and medical referrals at our Breakfast site once a month for ten months out of the year and conducted flu shot clinics serving 48 guests.  Walgreens also conducted a flu shot clinic at our Breakfast site providing shots to an additional 15 guests.

Legal Assistance – 72 clinics

Attorneys from The Legal Aid Society conducted clinics at both weekday meal sites.  At our downtown Breakfast site, 51 clinics were held serving 167 guests.  The majority of issues (49%) dealt with municipal citations, warrants and fines.  The next highest issue was housing at 7%.  The remainder ranged from drivers license recovery to family issues to social security.  Twenty two clinics were held at the south side Dinner Program, serving 22 guests.  Issues were varied and included tax issues, medical malpractice, insurance, housing and social security.  Resolution of legal issues is often a first step towards job and housing stability.

Sundries from the Avenue – 2,064 served

Items such as soap, lotion, shampoo, toothbrushes & toothpaste, laundry soap, combs, and deodorant (23,101 items) were distributed to guests on a monthly basis through Sundries from the Avenue, sponsored by St. James’ Episcopal Church.