WHITEFISH - The North Valley Food Bank in Whitefish is looking for volunteers to help pick fruit for a great cause.
The third annual Fall Fruit Harvest aims to rescue fruit from trees throughout Whitefish and distribute the fresh produce to food bank customers.
Volunteers are asked to meet at the food bank office before venturing out to pick an assortment of fruit, including apples, pears, and plums.
North Valley Food Bank Program Coordinator Kristen Schepker said more than 1,500 pounds of fruit were collected during last year’s harvest.
She’s said the harvest is a win-win scenario because it aims to limit human-wildlife conflict by deterring bears from coming into town looking for fruit while providing fresh produce to food bank customers.
“We got a lot of feedback from our customers that they really desire and value fresh whole produce, so this is a great opportunity for us to gather some of that produce free of charge to us and of course, we distribute it for free to our customers,” said Schepker.
Volunteers are needed to pick fruit on Sunday, Sept. 25 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Those who would like to volunteer are asked to meet at the food bank office at 1 p.m. at 251 Flathead Avenue, to sign volunteer paperwork, pick up harvesting supplies and receive their tree location assignment.
