BIG ISLAND, Va.––in the first eight months of 2014, volunteers with the Society of St. Andrew saved 12 million pounds of food through gleaning efforts. The agency also led efforts to save seven million pounds of produce through potato drops.

A total of 3,130 events involving 15,802 volunteers resulted in 19 million pounds of food providing 56 million servings of food through churches and food banks.

Many of the sponsoring groups and volunteers were members of UM Men units.

Potato drop in Pennsylvania

On Sept. 27, United Methodist Men of Columbia (Pa.) UMC and St. Paul UMC in Mountville, Pa. will bag 50,000 pounds of potatoes at Glatfelter Field in Columbia, The produce will be given to area food banks, churches, other organizations.

Partnership with UM Men

The Society of St. Andrew is an affiliate partner of the General Commission on UM Men. The  national nonprofit hunger-relief ministry rescues 30-35 million pounds of fresh, nutritious, excess produce each year that would otherwise go to waste for various marketing reasons.

This food is then distributed to critical feeding agencies across the country at no cost to the agencies or the hungry people they serve.

For more information, visit http://www.endhunger.org/