An in-state collaboration is meeting the need of hungry individuals with nutritious, home-grown foods.
More than 25,000 pounds of fruit was donated to local food assistance programs this year through Salt Lake City's Fruit Share program. The initiative allows people to register their fruit trees, then directs volunteers to help harvest fruit that would otherwise go to waste, matching need with abundance.
The collected produce is split between homeowners, harvest volunteers, and efforts to help the needy.
City officials say Fruit Share grew exponentially this year. In 2013, the program harvested 3,407 pounds of fruit, donating more than 60 percent to hunger relief.
Tree owners voluntarily register their apple, plum, pear, peach and other fruit trees for the cause on an online database. The registered resources are then harvested and dispersed based on community need.
The program was created by Salt Lake City and its partners TreeUtah, Avenues FruitShare, Green Urban Lunchbox and Salt Lake Community Action Program.