For Farmers and Growers
Kōkua Harvest is a program that rescues excess produce and donates it to The Food Basket to be distributed to food insecure individuals around the island.
We glean:
- Quality produce that is no longer commercially viable
- Weather-damaged crops
- Produce from bypassed fields
- Non-machine gleanable crops
- Pollinator trees
- Secondary growth
How Do We Do It?
After you discuss your needs with our project coordinator, our volunteers will harvest your produce for you! Depending on how much you need harvested, crews of 1 to 20 will come to your property and carefully harvest your produce. We bring all our own tools and equipment, unless you say otherwise.
Submit your request to donate produce from your farm, and we’ll contact you to make the necessary arrangements. Everything we harvest is split between the farm owner, volunteers, and The Food Basket.
Kōkua Harvest can also pick up crops which have already been harvested. If you’re interested in scheduling a pick up, please Contact Us.
Food donors may be eligible for tax deductions or tax credits and will receive documentation of crop types and amounts to submit with tax returns.
Want to Donate a Crop?
If you wish to donate a crop from your farm, click on the "Donate a Crop" button above and fill out the form, or if you have any questions get in touch with us directly from the Contact Us page. Be sure to check out the FAQ, as your question may already be answered.
Interested in the Legalities?
First, we properly train and supervise all volunteers who glean with us. Every volunteer has checked off a liability waiver that protects the crop donor. A copy of this can be seen here.
Also, in 1996, Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act to encourage the donation of food and grocery products to non-profit organizations for distribution to individuals in need. This law:
- Protects you from liability when you donate to a non-profit organization;
- Protects you from civil and criminal liability should the product donated in good faith later cause harm to the recipient;
- Standardizes donor liability exposure. You or your legal counsel do not need to investigate liability laws in 50 states; and
- Sets a floor of "gross negligence" or intentional misconduct for persons who donate grocery products. According to the new law, gross negligence is defined as "voluntary and conscious conduct by a person with knowledge (at the time of conduct) that the conduct is likely to be harmful to the health or well-being of another person."
For more information visit Feeding America.
Additionally, in 2015, Congress passed the PATH Act as Division Q of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, which modified Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code to allow all companies to earn an enhanced tax deduction for donating selected surplus property, including food.
At the state level, State of Hawai’i has the State – Hawaii Good Samaritan Donation of Food Act. An excerpt:
(a) Any donor of food products, who in good faith donates the food for the use or distribution by a charitable, religious, or nonprofit organization to needy persons shall not be liable for any civil damages or criminal penalties for any injuries or illnesses including, but not limited to injuries or illnesses resulting from the nature, age, condition, packaging, or handling of the donated food products, except for such damages as may result from the donor’s gross negligence or wanton acts or omissions.
