Boston Area Gleaners Inc. General Information 24 Beaver Street #212 Waltham, MA 2452 (781) 894-3212 Website www.bostonareagleaners.org Organization Contact Laurie Caldwell director@bostonareagleaners.org Year of Incorporation 27 1
Statements & Search Criteria Mission Statement We are dedicated to rescuing surplus farm crops for people in need. We deliver high quality, local produce to pantries and meal programs by working closely with local farmers who donate their surplus, and mobilizing volunteer labor to harvest what would otherwise be plowed under. Our goal is to build a reliable and sustainable surplus supply chain from local farms to our most vulnerable community members. Background Statement Gleaning is a practice in which farmers allow public access to crops in their fields for the benefit of community members who cannot afford to purchase farm-fresh food. In ancient times, biblical laws mandated that farmers facilitate accessibility to their crops by leaving the corners of their fields unharvested and available for the poor to glean. In modern times, gleaning is provided as a service to farmers who are interested in donating their surplus crops to people in need, and to reduce the food waste that results from modern production methods. Boston Area Gleaners, Inc. (BAG) rescues surplus crops in order to simultaneously combat hunger and food waste two problems endemic to our modern food system. By mobilizing volunteers on short notice to glean surplus crops from local farms, each year we are able to provide hundreds of thousands of pounds of high quality, healthy fruits and vegetables for food-insecure individuals and families in eastern Massachusetts. Boston Area Gleaners began in 24. The grassroots group of a handful of local volunteers worked with a few local farms to glean 8,24 pounds of crops. In 27, BAG was incorporated as a nonprofit. In 21, BAG hired its first employee (our current executive director). By 216, we increased our gleaning yields to 421,167 pounds of fruits and vegetables from 51 farms, growing our organizational carrying capacity by nearly 4,5%. To this day, we remain the only organization in the region that operates a reliable farm gleaning service, which enables farmers to donate the fruits of their labor to feed their neighbors in need. Since our inception, we have developed partnerships with over 7 farms and more than 2, volunteers who, along with BAG staff gleaners, have captured over 1,25, pounds of surplus produce. This amounts to over 5 million four-ounce servings of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables that would otherwise have never been harvested. To distribute this fresh food, we have built partnerships with a growing number of charitable food agencies in the Greater Boston area, including three distribution partners (Greater Boston Food Bank, Food For Free, and Merrimack Valley Food Bank), for a combined distributive reach to over 5 food pantries and meal programs in the region. In addition, BAG supplies to a growing number of organizations that are creating new business models that provide access to high quality food in low-income communities, such as Daily Table. 2
Impact Statement In 216, BAG was able to harvest ("glean") twice as much produce than the year before. Volunteers and staff gleaned 421,167 pounds of more than 6 crop varieties from 512 farms; this total poundage represented a 16% growth factor over the record-breaking year of 215. Considering the severity of drought impact on farm crops in the 216 farming season, we consider this a significant accomplishment. Also in 216, we completed a three-year strategic business plan that plots a course for BAG to glean and deliver more than 1 million pounds of high quality surplus by 219. The Massachusetts Non-Profit Network awarded BAG the 216 Excellence Award in the Small Non- Profit category in recognition of our well-managed growth and unique service. In 217, we have a substantial emphasis on development growth; currently, the potential for our work is many times larger than we are able to fulfill, both from the supply said (farm donations) and the demand size (requests for deliveries of fresh produce from hunger relief agencies). Currently, our revenue stream includes 6% foundation grants, 3% individual donations, and 1% earned revenue. Our strategic plan includes adding a development director with the goal of lessening our reliance on foundation income, such that individual donations fulfill 5% of revenue, with 3% in grants, and up to 2% in earned income in the form of our traditional delivery fees and the addition of new models of income, such as the sale of value-added farm products in collaboration with certain farms. In addition to adding development capacity and developing new earned revenue models, we will continue to build our infrastructure by adding refrigerated vehicles to comply with impending food safety mandates, as well as increase mechanized lifting capacity. We also added a new program in 217: Education and Outreach to recruit volunteers and raise awareness in the community about our work. Needs Statement Our three-year goal is to grow the organization s capacity so that we are able to glean and deliver 1 million pounds of surplus crops annually. In order to accomplish this, we need to scale up organizational capacity. 1) Increase development capacity by working with a development professional to create a shortterm plan, and then hire a Development Director. We are pursuing grants of $1, to fund the hiring, onboarding, and year one start-up costs for this position. 2) Raise $258,5 in capital to implement phased fleet, heavy equipment, and technology acquisition. 3) Hire an Education and Outreach Program staffed by one part-time position to increase outreach to volunteers and complement development efforts ($48, year one start-up costs). 4) Add 5.2 FTE s to operations by 219 (Gleaning and Distribution programs, estimated $15, total costs). 5) Continue to add to general operating funds to allow for addition of increased office space ($5,/year), the addition of a part-time bookkeeper and office manager ($15,/year), and the addition of three new computers and a multipurpose office printer ($5,). 3
CEO/Executive Director Statement While the mission of BAG is appealing in its simplicity, the execution of gleaning in the Boston area is logistically complex and demanding. As the local food economy expands, ways to alleviate local food insecurity naturally become intertwined with this work. Through our recent exponential growth, BAG has shown the impact of capturing surplus food from farms as a viable resource for community members in need. Boston is unique in that it is a large metropolitan area with many small farms in close proximity to a dense population center. In Middlesex County alone, over 7 vegetable and fruit farms are listed with the MA Department of Agriculture. With the right infrastructure in place at BAG, the potential to impact local food insecurity is enormous. To address this gap, we developed a three-year strategic business plan (217-219) that lays out in detail our plans to build out the organization so that we are able to capture and deliver over 1 million pounds annually to people in need in the Boston area. In terms of procuring surplus donations, with over 1, farms in the region, supply is abundant, but we must build strong connections with growers. In terms of distribution, we are supplying large charitable distributors, but we are increasingly looking for ways to deliver high quality surplus product to agencies and businesses that are not just feeding people, but are also focused on improving the economic conditions in impoverished and low-income communities through small business development and job training programs that can utilize surplus product. 4
Board Chair Statement The Gleaners resonate with so many people in so many different ways. We alleviate hunger, we collect and distribute locally-grown food on a shoestring budget, we reduce waste from the practice of farming, we give volunteers the opportunity to get into the fields and do something about hunger. We draw support from people of faith, from those attuned to economic justice, those working for sustainable environmental practices, from foodies, and many other walks of life. While hunger has deepened, farming--especially sustainable farming--surges. Boston Area Gleaners faces the challenge of growing to meet demand in two directions: more hunger and more farms from which to glean. As we mature into a structural part of hunger relief, we have added skilled, experienced board members, a part-time paid staff member, interns, and are looking to add cargo van capacity to help make gleaning trips more efficient. We need to sustainably grow our own organization to be of the most use to all of our constituents. A donated cargo van increased our carrying capacity. Interns have grown our reach through social media, attracting more volunteers and spreading the word about gleaning. New board members bring invaluable experience with accounting and financial planning, fundraising, community development, and the food pantry recipient perspective about how to best incorporate gleaned produce as hunger relief. As the number of farms within our reach increases, we seek to increase our partnerships with farmers. Urban farming presents another avenue through which to reduce waste and support local farmers. Sustainable growth means increasing our income in order to pay full- and part-time staff a living wage. It means limiting our driving range to minimize fuel costs. We continue to build relationships with farmers (and volunteer gleaners) to ensure that we can get volunteers to glean when the farmers need us there. To an extent, as we educate farmers about our service, we have changed the shape of our work (and theirs). If the farmer knows to call us, gleaning has become part of the process of farming. In turn, we become able to plan more trips in advance, making it easier to find volunteers. The Gleaners reduce waste in the food system while helping both farmers and the needy to make use of locally-grown produce. Our challenge, our opportunity, is to meet the growing demand on both sides of this equation. Service Categories Food Banks, Food Pantries Emergency Assistance (Food, Clothing, Cash) Geographic Areas Served Thanks to its partnerships with Food For Free, Greater Boston Food Bank, and Merrimack Valley Food Bank, BAG has a distributive reach of over 5 hunger relief agencies in nine counties of eastern MA (Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex, Worcester, Norfolk, Plymouth, Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes). 5
In addition, BAG delivers gleaned produce directly to around 2 pantries each year. As we improve our ability to glean higher volumes of crops, we will develop relationships with additional food agencies. Please review online profile for full list of selected areas served. 6
Programs Gleaning Description The Gleaning Program is focused on the collection of surplus crops. Gleaning operates year-round and consists of two activities: farm gleaning with volunteers, and a post-harvest pickup service. Gleaning begins in May and ends as late as March, when we glean storage areas of roots, squash, and tree fruit. Offseason work for Gleaning Program staff includes farmer and volunteer outreach, food safety improvement and compliance, first-aid training, and infrastructure improvement. The 217 Gleaning Program will be comprised of 1.8 FTE s, 1 intern, and over 1,6 volunteers. Each volunteer gleaning trip is quickly set up once we receive a call from a farmer notifying us of surplus. Gleaning Coordinators are responsible for: (1) farmer outreach, 2) identifying the crop donation; (2) mobilizing groups of volunteers; (3) supervising volunteers in the field; and (4) ensuring safe delivery of crop donation to our cold storage facility. Our post-harvest pick-up service is offered to farms during the height of the season when crops that have already been harvested begin to accumulate in storage areas. Budget 16444 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, General/Other Hunger Action Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent, Families, In 217, we aim to glean at least 5, pounds of surplus produce from local farms. We hope to partner with several new farms, and to bring dozens of new volunteers into local fields to harvest for the hungry. 7
Program Long term Success There are over 1,2 fruit and vegetable farms in eastern MA, according to www.farmfresh.org. Over-planting is a common modern farming method used to mitigate the financial risk of crop failure. In the case that the market does not demand as many crops as a farmer planted, surplus results. Many farmers would like to donate the surplus crops that required energy and resources to produce, but they do not have the financial means to harvest and distribute crops that will not return income. BAG currently gleans from fewer than 5% of the farms in eastern MA. Our goal is to offer our services to every farmer that wishes to donate his or her surplus. If we were operationally equipped to glean from just half of the farms in the region, we could provide more than 16 million servings of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to food-insecure people in this area. Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success We carefully track crop, farm, volunteer, and staffing data using an online data management system. We analyze this data month-tomonth and year-over-year to determine the organizational improvements we must make to broaden our reach and further our mission. Volunteer gleaners are proud to be an integral part of BAG's mission. One of our most dedicated volunteers wrote: "While I know you appreciate my volunteering for many gleaning trips last season, I considered it a privilege to play a small role in linking local agriculture with so many people in need of food. Having participated in my first glean of the new season today, I look forward to continuing what I began last year. Not sure I ll hit 4 [trips] again, but you never know, I might do more. The numbers aren t the point. Finding my place in a larger great effort that you lead and coordinate at BAG is what matters." We are grateful to be able to provide such an opportunity to hundreds of local people each year, and even more thankful for their support. 8
Distribution Description Our Distribution Program is focused on the timely distribution of gleaned produce to our recipient agencies. Distribution was a new program in 216, a structure that evolved due to a more than 3% volume increase over the previous 3 seasons. The program is staffed by 1.5 FTE s and one seasonal intern. More than half of the produce donated to BAG by farms is delivered to one of three distribution partners, which further distribute among a network of over 5 agencies across eastern Mass. These partners include: the Greater Boston Food Bank, Food For Free, and Merrimack Valley Food Bank. The remaining donations are delivered directly to about 2 smaller agencies that serve clients directly. In 216, BAG began working with organizations that could offer processing of product with cosmetic blemishes that inhibit distribution through our usual networks. Agencies such as Daily Table and Commonwealth Kitchen have the capacity to process Grade B product into ready-to-eat meals and preserved products while also providing valuable job training to low-income residents of the Boston area. Budget 6686 Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, General/Other Food Distribution Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent, Families, Our Distribution Program allows us to separate our Gleaning Program from food delivery, making both activities run more efficiently. This year, we our new Distribution Program has taken the weight of making deliveries off of our staff Gleaning Coordinators, allowing Gleaning Coordinators to focus their time on gleaning with volunteers and reaching out to farmers. As we grow to be able to glean more food, the Distribution Program must also grow to include more partner recipient agencies that can receive large volumes of produce. We hope to add new agencies in areas in which significant food insecurity persists. We also want to partner with organizations that are able to process gleaned produce into prepared meals. Program Long term Success Our long-term goal for the Distribution Program is to be able to broaden our reach so that gleaned produce is available to a large portion of this region's food-insecure individuals and families. We also hope to deepen our reach so that these communities can access fresh, nutritious gleaned food on a regular basis. 9
Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success We carefully track Distribution Program data (pounds delivered, crops donated, agencies served, etc.) From this data, we see that, with the help of our distribution partners, we have been able to distribute more than 6 varieties of gleaned produce to hundreds of local hunger relief agencies this year. We have received much positive feedback from our partner hunger relief organizations. A recipient at the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Council Food Pantry told an interviewer from the Living On Earth radio program: "What [the Gleaners] do is so important for us. I get things I couldn't afford... It fills in the spots I would otherwise neglect. And it's a little gift. It makes people happy." Program Comments CEO Comments Program expansion goals for 217-219: Gleaning: Expansion will focus on outreach to large and medium-sized farms over the strategic planning period because of the untapped volume of surplus that remains on these farms. Existing partner farms will be encouraged to meet our established high performance donation standards. Distribution: Aided by new information provided specifically for BAG by the Tufts University Urban Planning program, we will expand distribution into areas of greatest need in the Greater Boston area by adding new delivery routes to Lawrence, Lowell, and under-served areas of Boston. Education and Outreach: this start-up program will be focused on more than tripling our volunteer force, so that we exceed 4, by 219. We will also build our capacity to work with larger groups of volunteers, such as employers who are offering service workdays. 1
Management CEO/Executive Director Executive Director Term Start Jan 21 Email Ms. Laurie L Caldwell MBA director@bostonareagleaners.org Experience Laurie Duck Caldwell is Executive Director for Boston Area Gleaners. Her work in the non-profit sector began in 1995, and has included vocational instruction, project management, program and curriculum development, and consulting, most notably with Vermont Works for Women. She is a carpenter by trade and worked as a residential contractor for over 2 years. Her experience in developing markets for local produce includes four years of management and consulting in natural foods cooperatives in the northeast, as well as some small-scale organic farming. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Randolph-Macon Woman s College, a certificate in small business development from Trinity College, and an MBA in organizational management and environmental sustainability from Antioch University in New England. Former CEOs Name Term Oakes Plimpton Jan 27 - Dec 29 Staff Information Full Time Staff Part Time Staff Volunteers Contractors Retention Rate 3 5 15 1% Staff Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian 6 Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other Staff Demographics - Gender Male Female 3 3 11
Unspecified Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency NonManagement Formal Evaluation Non Management Formal Evaluation Frequency Annually N/A N/A Annually Plans & Policies Organization has a Fundraising Plan? Organization has a Strategic Plan? Years Strategic Plan Considers Under Development Date Strategic Plan Adopted Aug 216 Does your organization have a Business Continuity of Operations Plan? Management Succession Plan? Organization Policy and Procedures Nondiscrimination Policy Whistleblower Policy Document Destruction Policy Directors and Officers Insurance Policy Is your organization licensed by the Government? Registration Permit? 3 No Under Development Under Development Under Development No Collaborations Boston Area Gleaners collaborates with a growing list of more than 7 eastern Massachusetts farms (please see our website for a list). We deliver food directly to up to 2 food pantries, meal programs, and low-income markets in the metro Boston area each year. In addition, we collaborate with three distribution partners (Food For Free, Greater Boston Food Bank, and Merrimack Valley Food Bank), which together distributed over 57% of our produce in 216. Through these collaborations, our total distributive reach is to well over 5 agencies in eastern MA. Awards Awards 12
Award/Recognition Organization Year Hunger Hero Award for the Executive Director, Laurie "Duck" Caldwell Boston Area Gleaners Wins Excellence Award in "Small Nonprofit: Doing More with Less" Category Boston Mayor's Office 213 Massachusetts Nonprofit Network 216 Affiliations Affiliation Year Associated Grant Makers 21 Comments CEO Comments Currently, the Executive Director of BAG fills the following roles: human resources, bookkeeping, operations manager, and development director. The ability to leave the office and build networks to improve food security in the Boston area as well as building the capacity of the organization (by attracting larger donors) is very limited. Therefore, the organization s ability to perform its mission to the degree that is possible in our region will be hampered if we are not able to expand capacity at the executive and support staff levels. Positions identified in the strategic plan for 217 as imperative include development director and outreach coordinator. This will allow the growth needed to build the infrastructure needed in operations as well as the capacity for the ED to participate in regional efforts to improve the food system and to help guide food recovery efforts. The challenges are addressed in the attached three-year strategic business plan, but all are contingent on successful fundraising efforts. 13
Board & Governance Board Chair Board Chair Ms. Charlotte Milan Company Affiliation Town of Arlington Term Mar 216 to Feb 218 Email charlottemilan@gmail.com Board CoChair Board CoChair Company Affiliation Mr. Fred Berman Term Mar 216 to Feb 218 Email American Institutes for Research/National Center on Family Homelessness fredlori@rcn.com Board Members Name Affiliation Status Mr. Fred Berman MA Ms. Joan Blaustein MA American Institutes for Research/National Center on Family Homelessness Retired (formerly, Metropolitan Area Planning Council) Voting Voting Dr. Margaret Coleman MD Cambridge Health Alliance Voting Mr. Jonathan Goldberg MA Grateful Massage, LLC Voting Ms. Nancy Goodman MA Environmental League of Massachusetts Voting Mr. Matt Gray MA Neighborhood Produce Voting Ms. Charlotte Milan MBA Town of Arlington Voting Ms. Emily Palmer RN Commonwealth Care Alliance Voting Dr. Kaveri Roy DNP, RN, CHPN MGH Institute of Health Professions Voting Rabbi Liza Stern Congregation Eitz Chayim Voting Ms. Jessica Yu MBA Liberty Mutual Voting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black Asian American/Pacific Islander 2 Caucasian 8 Hispanic/Latino Native American/American Indian Other 14
Board Demographics - Gender Male Female Unspecified 3 7 Board Information Board Term Lengths Board Term Limits Number of Full Board Meetings Annually Board Meeting Attendance % Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Percentage Making Monetary Contributions Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions Constituency Includes Client Representation 3 2 11 78% No 1% 1% No Standing Committees Advisory Board / Advisory Council Development / Fund Development / Fund Raising / Grant Writing / Major Gifts Strategic Planning / Strategic Direction Governance and Policy Finance Additional Board Members and Affiliations Name Gretta Anderson Rose Arruda Scott Clarke Dr. Deishin Lee Ms. Helene Newberg Esq. Kristen Ploetz Esq. Theresa Snow Affiliation Moraine Farm Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Gore Place Boston College Carroll School of Management Green Lodestar, LLC Salvation Farms Comments CEO Comments The primary challenge we face is that of sustainability. By nature, our development needs are large; earned income (based on delivery fees to agencies that want regular deliveries) will never comprise 15
more than 15% of our total budget. We are still small but have grown quickly, thanks to two large one-year foundation grants--each awarded for two years running. With this increased capacity, we were able to show real results, doubling poundage gleaned year-over-year in the past two years. However, our development capacity is still very limited, we have no endowment and very little savings. The degree to which we are able to operate is determined annually. We are looking for investors that can get us to the next level by providing substantial general operating support over the next three years so that we can hire a development director who can build a donor program, allowing us to build income decrease our reliance on (and subjection to) grant funding. 16
Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start Apr 1, 217 Fiscal Year End Mar 31, 218 Projected Revenue $298,1. Projected Expenses $282,636. Endowment? No Spending Policy Income Only Credit Line? No Reserve Fund? No Months Reserve Fund Covers Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Fiscal Year 216 215 214 Total Revenue $419,346 $37,849 $195,798 Total Expenses $35,959 $174,249 $11,442 Revenue Sources Fiscal Year 216 215 214 Foundation and Corporation $35,5 $22,599 $111,987 Contributions Government Contributions $ $ $ Federal -- -- -- State -- -- -- Local -- -- -- Unspecified -- -- -- Individual Contributions $57,766 $47,33 $41,736 Indirect Public Support -- -- -- Earned Revenue $34,641 $32,413 $2,115 Investment Income, Net of Losses $15 $4 $3 Membership Dues -- -- -- Special Events $21,424 $7,53 $21,957 Revenue In-Kind -- -- -- Other -- -- -- 17
Expense Allocation Fiscal Year 216 215 214 Program Expense $2,12 $116,81 $81,347 Administration Expense $34,273 $2,677 $28,45 Fundraising Expense $71,584 $36,771 $645 Payments to Affiliates -- -- -- Total Revenue/Total Expenses 1.37 1.77 1.77 Program Expense/Total Expenses 65% 67% 74% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue 19% 13% % Assets and Liabilities Fiscal Year 216 215 214 Total Assets $363,513 $25,126 $116,526 Current Assets $271,792 $193,6 $9,82 Long-Term Liabilities -- $ $ Current Liabilities -- $ $ Total Net Assets $363,513 $25,126 $116,526 Short Term Solvency Fiscal Year 216 215 214 Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities -- -- -- Long Term Solvency Fiscal Year 216 215 214 Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets % % % Top Funding Sources Fiscal Year 216 215 214 Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount -- -- -- Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar -- -- -- Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount -- -- -- Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? No Comments CEO Comments Over the next three years, we plan to nearly triple the current budget size. We will accomplish this by applying to larger foundations prioritizing foundations offering multi-year grant awards. These awards will comprise 6% of our total income, with 25% in individual donations, and 15% in earned income. Once we are through the three-year build-out, we plan to increase individual donation income--thanks to a development director we will hire during this period--so that during the next three-year period of 22-223, the ratio of foundation support will recede to no more than 3% of total income, and individual support at more than 5%. Please note that our fiscal year is shifting to April 1- Mar 31, which more closely relates to operational activity. The FY217 budget has not been approved at the time of this profile update, but will be available upon request in late March 217. 18
Foundation Staff Comments Financial summary data in the charts and graphs above is per the organization's IRS Form 99s. Please note, fundraising expense detail is from the internal Revenue and Expense document provided by the nonprofit, and posted to the Documents tab, for fiscal year 213. Created 7.1.218. Copyright 218 The Boston Foundation 19