- Video shows how Laborers of the Harvest's Open Harvest has benefited Arvin since opening in October 2023.
- The fresh-food program has been operating in this community since last fall and has obtained more than 700 memberships.
- For 30-dollars a month, members are able to access Open Harvest Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 pm and get up to three bags of groceries of their choice.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Open Harvest is a grocery-style food membership program that opened in Arvin last October. The program is run by Laborers of the Harvest (LOTH), a nonprofit whose mission is to feed the hungry and help the environment at the same time.
The fresh food facility operates under the new SB1383 law that makes it illegal for grocery stores to dispose of foods that have reached their sell-by date or best-used-by date.
"The food actually has to be donated," said Executive Director of Laborers of the Harvest, Shari Rightmer. "And so that's what we specialize in—it's that fresh food. We clean probably about 20 different grocery stores which is really amazing."
She told me that opening Open Harvest in this community was especially important because there are not a lot of food distribution programs available.
"This is a community that works really hard, it's a farming community and they appreciate all the wonderful food that they can access here," said Rightmer.
Since opening in Arvin, Rightmer said LOTH have obtained more than 700 memberships.
With the 30-dollar monthly membership, community members are able to access Open Harvest Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 pm and get up to three bags of groceries of their choice.
"We have to make sure that the food gets out every three days," stated Rightmer. "So there's not a lot of places that really offer exclusively fresh foods kind of like a market where you get to choose."
Rightmer added that Open Harvest is open to anyone in the community, no questions asked. To learn more about shopping at Open Harvest locations visit their website, www.LaborersOfTheHarvest.org or call (661)745-4536.
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