Sustainable Ballard Bakery Gleaning Team Going Strong Since 2015

A community member saw a need and the Bread Gleaning Team was born!

In 2015, Sustainable Ballard member Julia Field discovered that Tall Grass Bakery was willing to donate their unsold bread rather than composting it. Through Julia’s connection with Ballard Community Taskforce on Homelessness and Hunger (BCTHH), she identified St. Lukes Edible Hope program as a recipient of the bread. Enlisting friends and neighbors in the collecting and delivery of the bread lead to the beginning of the Bakery Gleaning team, the partnership with St. Luke’s Edible Hope program, and Sustainable Ballard.

Since the inception, Cafe Besalu and Mighty-O donuts have been added as partners in the project. Julia notes that this is how Sustainable Ballard projects come into being: Someone sees a need in the neighborhood, talks to some people and sometimes it turns into something!

In 2021, a team of 12 volunteers have collected 9,600 donuts, 260 bags of pastries, and over 624 enormous bags of bread for St. Luke’s Edible Hope program.

To learn more about how to get involved contact Chris!