Society of St. Andrew

The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) is a nonprofit, ecumenical, Christian ministry dedicated to solving the problem of hunger in the United States. By gleaning America's fields, volunteers feed America's hungry; the problem is complex, but the solution is simple. SoSA provides nutritious, healthy produce through innovative, cost effective programs such as the Potato Project, the Gleaning Network, Harvest of Hope, and the Seed Potato Project.

Gleaning is the Biblical practice of hand-gathering crops left in the fields after harvest. Society of St. Andrew staff coordinate volunteers, growers, and distribution agencies to provide food for hungry people through gleaning. Each year, tens of thousands of volunteers come together across the country to glean food left in farmers' fields and orchards so that it does not go to waste but instead goes to the tables of those in need.

The Society of St. Andrew is unique among hunger relief organizations for many reasons. Here are four organizational characteristics that set this grassroots organization apart:

*SoSA supplies fresh fruits and vegetables vital for nutrition rather than high caloric “filler food” to society’s most vulnerable. That means improved health and well-being as well as full stomachs.

*Unlike many organizations, SoSA charges no handling fees. Fresh, nutritious food is provided to agencies serving the poor at no cost to them, which helps them stretch their already tight budgets.

*SoSA's programs build community by bringing people together in farmers' fields or around "dumped" loads of potatoes to work collectively in the cause of helping their needy neighbors.

*Each program recognizes the spiritual component of helping others and therefore offers a variety of educational programs, Bible studies, and seasonal devotions designed to feed people's spiritual hungers as they help feed the physical hunger of others.

The Society of St. Andrew adheres to Christian principles of good stewardship. Therefore, about 93% of all funds raised by the Society of St. Andrew is spent on the direct delivery of food and services to the hungry. SoSA volunteers have salvaged over 500 million pounds of produce since the Society of St. Andrew began its gleaning and salvage operations in 1983. After factoring in administrative overhead costs, that means that food is provided at a cost to SoSA of just under $.02 a serving. In other words, for under $50, the Society of St. Andrew can provide a person the USDA recommended requirement of vegetables and fruits for an entire year.

History

The Society of St. Andrew was formed in 1979 by two United Methodist ministers, Rev. Ken Horne and Rev. Ray Buchanan, along with their families. The organization's name comes from the disciple Andrew who was always introducing others to Christ. Most notably, Andrew played a crucial role in the feeding of the 5,000 when he brought the boy with five barley loaves and two small fish to Jesus, which he multiplied to feed the crowd. Since its founding in 1979, the Society of St. Andrew has worked to fulfill the mandate of the Gospel in our lives by striving to adhere to the words of I John 3:18: "Let us love not only in words, but in deed and in truth."

Programs

SoSA's volunteer network is channelled through three main programs: the Potato Project, the Gleaning Network, and Harvest of Hope.

Locations

The Society of St. Andrew's national office is in Big Island, Virginia. In recent years, SoSA has grown to include regional offices in Mississippi, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. In addition, twenty "Hunger Relief Advocates" are spread out across the country to organize and carry out gleaning activities local to each state. For more information, please see the official Society of St. Andrew website, [http://www.endhunger.org] .