Frequently Asked Questions
Housing and Accomodations
Is housing provided when we come to serve?
Our accommodations consist of two hotel-style units. The 8-room unit features rooms with a shared (adjoining) bathroom for each two rooms. In the 10-room unit, each room has a private bathroom. Both units are 2 stories. We have limited ground floor accommodations available. The 10-room unit also features one fully equipped handicapped accessible room. (Our main facilities are all wheelchair accessible.)
Dormitory style rooms with 5 – 9 beds are available. Bathroom facilities are in close proximity.
We have 20 RV spaces; most spaces provide full service. Please check with the booking department concerning availability and your needs.
Can I reserve a specific room/space?
Most short-term volunteers stay in the 8-plex, or possibly the 10-plex. Our 10-plex is primarily used for long-term volunteers, students, or special guests. It is possible to request a certain room or RV space, but there is no guarantee of availability. Please remember volunteering at Gleanings is considered a local short-term mission trip. Our focus is ministry to needy around the world, therefore it is appropriate to come with a heart of sacrifice and service, rather than with expectations of comfort and convenience.
Are meals provided?
We provide three meals and two snacks every work day; the last day we serve only breakfast and lunch.
Can you handle special dietary needs?
Please notify the booking department at the time of your reservation, or as soon as possible, if you have particular dietary needs; we will make every effort to accommodate them. Unfortunately, we are preparing each meal for 100 or more people; it is not always possible to prepare something special for a single person. Lunch and dinner usually include a salad bar with an assortment of fresh, healthy items; a basket of fruit is always available, and there are two public kitchens for your use.
Where does the food go?
We partner with mission organizations in approximately 40 nations. In order to receive food an agency must be distributing the food as part of a larger ministry, which includes the presentation of the gospel of Christ.
How do you decide where to ship the food?
In reality, God decides where food should be shipped. However, several factors determine where a shipment goes. When there is a Discipleship Training School outreach, we ship to the partnering ministries to be distributed as part of the outreach. Ongoing partners, such as Convoy of Hope and Israel Food Outreach, often contact us when they have a truck available and/or a specific need. Finally, and most significantly, we ship when a ministry contacts us with a specific need, such as famine or natural disaster, and the shipping arrangements are successful. If we have not worked with the ministry before, the Procurement Manager will meet with a representative to verify they are distributing food as required for partnership.
Do you send food other than fruit and soup?
YES! Because there is so much wasted food in America, we are able to procure a wide variety of shelf-stable products like beans, rice, cereal, cooling oil, energy bars, muscle milk, etc.
Where are the teams and volunteers from?
Teams and individuals come from many places throughout the United States, as well as Canada. The largest percentage come from California, then Washington and Oregon. We have international volunteers from all over the world who come as backpackers.
Where are you located?
In the San Joaquin Valley, approximately 40 miles southeast of Fresno. We are located on 21 acres of land, in the country, bordered by the Sierra Mountains. The Sequoia National park is about 40 minutes away. For Directions check here.
Does the government oversee the operation?
Gleanings has no specific government oversight, but is subject to the standard regulations for similar facilities and ministries. Examples include:
- Our kitchen is routinely inspected and all staff must be certified food handlers
- Our well water is routinely tested
- New construction or modifications are subject to permitting by local authorities
- We file IRS Form 990 (for a non-profit), and are property tax-exempt, but not sales tax-exempt
- Our Finance Department and Board of Directors voluntarily participate in an annual audit by an independent accounting firm
- All incoming and outgoing product is subjected to the appropriate customs regulations
- Dried fruit and soup mix ingredients must be treated for pests, according to government regulations
- Anyone wishing to drive a forklift must receive appropriate training and certification
Are staff members paid?
All staff and volunteers raise their own support. Staff members pay $150 a month for room and board. Staff children are an additional $30 each.
How do you cover operating expenses?
Faithful donors provide the bulk of our income. We send out a hard copy monthly newsletter to approximately 5,000 people, informing them of happenings at Gleanings. Thousands more receive an email version of the newsletter. God prompts some of these people to donate to the cost of running this ministry. We have also received donations from Christian foundations.
Who pays to ship the food?
Typically, the organization receiving the food pays the shipping costs. Donations towards shipping costs are also accepted by Gleanings.
How can I work with Gleanings For The Hungry?
Visit the links below for information on volunteering with us.