Sharing the Harvest: 2025 Highlights from Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Gleaning Initiative
Sharing the Harvest: 2025 Highlights from Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Gleaning Initiative
In 2025, Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Gleaning Initiative continued to turn surplus local food into nourishment for neighbors across Hancock and Washington counties. Through strong partnerships with farmers, volunteers, and food security organizations, thousands of pounds of fresh, local produce reached families, seniors, and individuals who needed it most.
Across both counties, more than 22,000 pounds of locally grown food were gleaned, gardened, and redistributed, providing an estimated 121,000 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables to community members 2025 Gleaning Report (1). This food was shared with more than 30 food pantries, community meals, schools, shelters, and health programs, helping strengthen access to healthy food where it matters most.
Washington County: Growing Food, Building Connection
In Washington County, 4,100 pounds of produce were gleaned from local farms, landowners, and community partners and donated to 11 food security organizations. A major highlight was the work at the Downeast Restorative Harvest community-corrections farm, where staff and volunteers harvested 2,250 pounds of vegetables for the county jail, food pantries, and the Machias Community Supper.
The Maine Senior FarmShare Program also made a meaningful impact, providing 160 shares of fresh, local vegetables to older adults through partnerships with three farms, helping seniors access nutritious food while supporting local growers 2025 Gleaning Report (1). Students and volunteers at Washington Academy contributed as well, growing 855 pounds of produce for school meals and local food pantries.
Hancock County: Volunteers Power the Harvest
In Hancock County, the Gleaning Initiative collected 18,161 pounds of fruits and vegetables from 20 farms, gardens, and orchards, including nearly 5,800 pounds of apples harvested by volunteers at Johnston’s Apple Orchard alone. More than 2,000 additional pounds of shelf-stable and value-added foods were also redistributed, helping ensure that good food did not go to waste and reached people facing food insecurity.
Through the Senior FarmShare Program, 156 more shares of fresh produce were delivered to older adults in Hancock County, supporting healthy aging and food access at the same time.
A Community Effort
None of this would be possible without the dedication of nearly 90 volunteers and partnerships with more than two dozen farms, gardens, schools, and community organizations across the region. Together, they helped ensure that locally grown food reached food pantries, community meals, WIC offices, schools, senior programs, and tribal and island communities.
Click here for the full 2025 Downeast Gleaning Initiative report (PDF).
The Downeast Gleaning Initiative is about more than food recovery. It is about neighbors helping neighbors, honoring the work of local farmers, reducing food waste, and building a stronger, healthier local food system for everyone.
As we look ahead, Healthy Acadia is grateful for the growers, volunteers, donors, and partner organizations who made 2025 such a successful season of sharing. Every harvest, every delivery, and every meal served is a reminder that when we work together, we can turn abundance into access and care into action.