North Okanagan Valley Gleaners sending medical supplies, food to Africa

Photo: Facebook

Business is booming at the North Okanagan Valley Gleaners.

The non-profit has already processed more than 500,000 pounds of donated fruit and vegetables so far this year, putting them on pace for a record year.

The Gleaners operate a food-processing plant in Lavington where they produce millions of meals a year.

And from that warehouse operation that is run mostly by volunteers, a record 13.4 million meals were produced in 2022.

Earlier this week, the Gleaners shipped one-million meals to Sri Lanka.

Along with generating millions of meals, the Gleaners also send medical supplies to impoverished nations.

This week, volunteers loaded a sea-can with medical supplies destined for Malawi.

The medical equipment may be considered outdated in North America, but they are a godsend for hospitals with few resources.

The Gleaners also operate a second-hand furniture store that helps fund the Lavington operation.

“With all these activities we can definitely use more volunteers at the plant and at the store. Come on out for a first time or a lifetime,” said a post on their Facebook page.

“The plant is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. until noon and the store is open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.