Our Impact

Why Pick Fruit?

It’s a lot of fun! But more than that – the simple act of picking fruit goes a long way. It brings communities together, connects people to their environment, and demonstrates a sustainable food system is possible.

The Challenge

In Toronto, we’re surrounded by a massive urban orchard that produces 1.5 million pounds of fruit every year. Yet much of this fruit goes unpicked and falls to waste. Rotting fruit releases greenhouse gas emissions, and contributes to the massive problem of food waste. Fruit also shouldn’t be falling to waste when people are going hungry. In a city where 1 in 7 people are food insecure, we want to make sure as many people as possible have access to this healthy, local food source.

What We Do

• Reduce Food Waste: by putting fruit to good use.
• Increase Food Access: by engaging as many people as possible in the harvest.
• Steward the Urban Orchard: by monitoring the health of fruit trees and providing training opportunities in fruit tree care.
• Build Community: by bringing people together at fruit picks and community events, like cider pressing.
• Create a Local Food System: to re-connect people to where their food comes from.

Since 2008 we have harvested over 250,000 pounds of fruit from yards across the city, donating a third of the harvest to our social agency partners. We average about 300-400 picks annually. Our community is made up of over 1000 people who sign up to help harvest and store our equipment sets, including our fleet of 11 cargo bikes used to transport fruit and equipment. We have partnered with over 60 agencies in the history of our organization, feeding thousands of people.

Other ways to help

If you’re looking for a new way to give back to your community and support Not Far From The Tree, consider planning a 3rd Party Fundraising event or organize a group or corporate pick with us!