Kerin Gould: Champion of Urban Food Resilience and Food Waste Reduction
Discover how Kerin Gould bridges food, community, and climate action through urban gleaning and food waste advocacy.
Kerin Gould is a leader and visionary in the intersecting worlds of food justice, sustainability, and climate action. For over two decades, she has dedicated her work to addressing food waste, promoting urban gleaning, and building systems for community resilience. Her grassroots activism and educational initiatives have enabled thousands of individuals, organizations, and neighborhoods to rethink how they approach food and sustainability. This article explores Gould’s background, her approach to food systems, her leadership in gleaning networks, and her broader impact on creating sustainable urban communities.
About Kerin Gould
Kerin Gould is best known as the founder of Urban Gleaners and an influential advocate for making local food systems more accessible, equitable, and sustainable. Her practical, hands-on approach is rooted in her background as an educator, organizer, and gardener. Gould’s personal journey reflects a commitment to turning environmental challenges into creative opportunities for collaboration and community empowerment.
Educational Background and Early Inspiration
- Trained as a permaculturist and environmental educator.
- Inspired by observing the abundance of unharvested food in urban landscapes.
- Motivated by the stark contrast between food waste and hunger in local communities.
Gould holds a degree in environmental studies and has further enriched her knowledge through certifications and workshops in permaculture design, community food systems, and sustainable agriculture.
Defining Gleaning and Food Rescue
Gleaning is the act of collecting surplus crops from fields, orchards, and backyards that would otherwise go to waste. Food rescue focuses on redirecting edible food from supermarkets, farmers’ markets, and restaurants to people in need. Both play a crucial role in alleviating food insecurity while reducing environmental impact.
- Gleaning has ancient roots but is gaining renewed importance in urban settings.
- Food rescue prevents good food from entering the waste stream, curbing methane generation from landfills.
- Programs often pair volunteers with local organizations to process and distribute recovered produce.
Gould’s Philosophy: “Waste is a Resource”
Central to Kerin Gould’s philosophy is the idea that waste is not an inevitable byproduct, but a resource that, with the right approach, can nourish people and regenerate the environment. She sees urban environments as ecosystems rich with untapped potential, from backyard fruit trees to neglected city lots waiting to be transformed into spaces for food production and community gathering.
Key Principles
- Food for All: Everyone deserves access to healthy, fresh food.
- Local Action: Change begins by mapping and connecting local resources.
- Education & Outreach: Empowering individuals with skills to reduce personal and community waste.
- Resilience: Developing systems that help neighborhoods adapt to economic, social, and environmental disruptions.
What others are reading
Launching Urban Gleaners: A Grassroots Model
In 2009, Kerin Gould founded Urban Gleaners in an effort to create a nimble, community-centered organization dedicated to food rescue and redistribution. The initiative started small, with a handful of volunteers and a simple mission:
- Rescue surplus produce from backyards, gardens, markets, and events.
- Redistribute that food to local shelters, food banks, and low-income families.
- Educate the wider public about the impacts of food waste and sustainable solutions.
Expansion Over Time
What began in neighborhoods across Portland, Oregon, soon grew into a network spanning multiple cities, serving tens of thousands of people annually. Urban Gleaners also forged lasting partnerships with urban farms, food co-ops, community centers, and environmental groups.
How Urban Gleaning Works
The process of urban gleaning, as championed by Gould, involves several steps. Each stage is designed to be simple yet highly effective at bringing otherwise wasted food to the people who need it most:
- Mapping Resources: Identifying unsold produce, fruit trees, and other food sources.
- Building Relationships: Contacting homeowners, local growers, restaurants, and market vendors.
- Volunteer Mobilization: Organizing community members to help with harvests and pickups.
- Sorting & Distribution: Ensuring only safe, edible food is delivered to partner organizations.
- Community Engagement: Hosting workshops, cooking demos, and food preservation sessions.
Mobile apps, digital mapping, and social media have all contributed to scaling these efforts efficiently.
Impact on the Community
Over the years, Urban Gleaners and Kerin Gould’s broader initiatives have:
- Diverted hundreds of tons of food waste annually from landfills.
- Improved nutritional access for marginalized and food-insecure households.
- Trained volunteers in food safety, preservation, and sustainable food systems.
- Inraised awareness on local food cycles, bridging gaps between producers and recipients.
- Created opportunities for neighbors to collaborate and strengthen social ties.
Food Waste: Environmental and Social Context
Kerin Gould’s work highlights the dual crisis of food waste and hunger. According to the USDA, Americans waste nearly 40% of their food supply annually. This not only represents a significant economic loss but also drives environmental harm:
- Methane emissions from food waste are a potent driver of climate change.
- Discarded food represents squandered resources in water, fuel, and soil fertility.
- Landfills become overburdened, increasing municipal costs and pollution.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans live with food insecurity, often unsure where their next meal will come from. Gould’s philosophy and practice unite the solutions to these issues under a single, actionable framework.
Gould’s Broader Influence: Beyond Gleaning
While much of Gould’s reputation rests on her role in food waste activism, she is deeply engaged in other forms of community resilience and ecological restoration:
Permaculture and Urban Agriculture
- Leads workshops in permaculture design, teaching residents to grow food ecologically in small urban spaces.
- Advocates for edible landscaping and the use of native plants to bolster urban biodiversity.
- Supports school gardens as a tool for education in science, nutrition, and teamwork.
Building Local Food Security
- Encourages municipalities to integrate food resilience planning into climate adaptation strategies.
- Advises on seed saving, food preservation, and community food storage options.
- Pilots programs that connect local producers directly with neighborhood buyers.
Education, Storytelling, and Advocacy
- Delivers talks at conferences, city councils, and universities on the promise and practice of food rescue.
- Writes articles, guides, and educational material to broaden the reach of gleaning and community farming.
- Mentors young activists, amplifying a new generation of community leaders modeled after her approach.
The Role of Collaboration in Food Justice
Gould’s success is built on the idea that no one works alone. Her model emphasizes:
- Partnering with environmental organizations, food banks, and municipal agencies.
- Creating resilient networks so that food recovery can continue even when challenges arise.
- Empowering neighborhood leaders and fostering self-sustaining teams.
How Individuals and Groups Can Participate
Kerin Gould believes that anyone can be part of the solution. She offers practical steps for getting started in gleaning or food rescue work:
- Locate surplus food sources nearby—look for fruit trees, gardens, restaurants, or markets.
- Volunteer with an existing food rescue or gleaning group.
- Spread Awareness—educate friends and neighbors about the issue and invite their participation.
- Host Workshops or share knowledge on food preservation, composting, and sustainable gardening.
- Advocate for policy change, such as “Good Samaritan” laws that protect those donating food from liability.
Advice for Aspiring Food Justice Advocates
Gould’s advice for those interested in sustainability or food justice is that small actions matter, and change begins at the local level. She encourages:
- Recognizing your own strengths and connections.
- Building community by starting conversations and forming networks.
- Not being afraid of “imperfect” solutions—every bit helps fight waste and hunger.
She reminds advocates that success is measured not just in pounds of food saved, but in connections made and minds changed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is urban gleaning?
Urban gleaning is the practice of rescuing surplus or unharvested food—such as fruit from backyard trees, unsold produce from markets, or leftovers from events—to redistribute it to people in need rather than allowing it to go to waste.
Why is Kerin Gould an important figure in the food justice movement?
Kerin Gould has pioneered holistic approaches to urban gleaning, food waste reduction, and community food resilience, resulting in concrete improvements in food access and waste management in urban areas.
How can someone get involved with gleaning or food rescue?
You can get involved by volunteering with local gleaning groups, mapping surplus food resources in your area, hosting community workshops, and advocating for supportive local policies.
Does urban gleaning have a significant environmental benefit?
Yes—gleaning reduces food waste in landfills, curbs methane emissions, and ensures resources invested in growing and transporting food are not squandered.
Can organizations partner with food rescue networks?
Absolutely. Businesses, schools, and other organizations can donate surplus food, provide volunteers, or serve as distribution hubs to maximize the reach and impact of food rescue efforts.
Conclusion: A Lasting Legacy
Kerin Gould exemplifies how a single person’s dedication and creativity can drive systemic change. By transforming surplus into sustenance and waste into opportunity, she has helped lay the groundwork for more resilient, compassionate, and ecologically sound urban environments. Her strategies—rooted in collaboration, education, and action—provide a blueprint for anyone seeking to build a more sustainable world, one meal and one neighbor at a time.
References
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