PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

July 24, 2020

MODERN DAY GLEANING

Todd Zeltwanger, Director of Fund Development for Cultivate — Food Rescue, was the speaker for the July 24 meeting of the Plymouth ROTARY club.  Todd gave an update of the work of Cultivate especially during the Pandemic and for the new members who had not heard his previous presentation to the club a basic introduction to the purpose and mission of Cultivate.

Cultivate is a 5013c not-for-profit organization devoted to organizing community resources to fight hunger through food rescue.  They have two primary programs.  Program One, Food Rescue: “the process of taking never served food that would have been thrown away and turning it into wholesome frozen meals.  (They do this) with the help of … food partners who donate the food and … volunteers who put the meals together.”  Their food partners include restaurants, grocery stores, produce markets, dining facilities and Notre Dame University.  Program Two, Backpack: “filling the 68-hour weekend gap that a child may go without food, the program provides 6 healthy meals to a child in need every Friday.  Cultivate is currently providing 400 backpacks to hungry children in 3 different counties.”

One part of Todd’s presentation that caught my attention was how they were able to take unexpected offers of food and find creative ways to see that they get to persons who can use them.  To fulfill their mission of organizing community resources to fight hunger through food rescues, somethime they have to think outside the box and be open to new opportunities and new possibilities.  With restaurants being closed during the Pandemic many of their suppliers found that they had extra food on their hands which needed to be used or it would have to be thrown out.  Cultivate stepped into the void to rescue the food.

In the Hebrew Bible there is prescribed a practice called gleaning. “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in your undertakings.  When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.  When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.  Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore, I am commanding you to do this.” (Deut. 24:19-22)

The most famous scriptural illustration of gleaning is found in the Book of Ruth.  Ruth, a widow, meets Boaz the owner of the field where she is gleaning barley and wheat for herself and her mother-in-law.  (Ruth 2:2-23)  They marry and one of their descendants is David who is the second King of Israel.

Today, Cultivate is a modern day gleaner who collects food remnants on behalf of the alien, the orphan, the widow, the elderly and others in need and creates frozen meals which they can use.  They are fulfilling an ancient command from God to remember the less fortunate.

There are various ways that one can support Cultivate.   Cultivate is always looking for volunteers to help with creating the frozen dinners and the collection of rescued food.  They are looking for sponsors for their backpacks.  You could help identify new sources of food and persons to receive their dinners.  You can contact Todd Zeltwanger at 877-725-2016, ext. 104 or e.toddz@cultivateculiary.com  You also might contact Todd if you would like to start a Cultivate program in your area.