Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton (a.k.a. OFRE. Pronounced “offer”)
Established in 2009, OFRE is a non-profit organization. Our project grew out of an interest in locally grown food, raising awareness about food security, and establishing urban connections with our food. Our goal is to connect Edmonton home owners who have fruit on their property that they would like to share with volunteer pickers. We believe our project has helped shift citizen’s thinking from seeing their fruit trees not as liabilities but as community assets.
Earlier this year, OFRE rhizomatically fuzed with Edmonton Organic Growers Guild (EOGG). This partnership will enable us to benefit from each other’s accomplishments and interests in growing and sharing local food.
How can OFRE help home owners? Do you have a fruit tree that you don’t have the time or the energy to harvest? Are there more berries than you can handle? Do you want to share your fruit tree with members of your community? If the answer is yes, OFRE can help! OFRE will send volunteer pickers to private residences to pick fruit upon request of the home owner.
- 1/4 goes to the home owner
- 1/4 goes to Edmonton’s Food Bank or other charitable organizations*
- 1/4 goes to the volunteer fruit pickers
- 1/4 goes to OFRE for processing
To download our poster click OFRE poster 2011
In addition to collecting fruit, we also organize canning & preserving events during the harvest season. Check our events and projects page for more information.
Hi Fruit Rescue Guys,
I met many of the group at the DBG Fruit Festival but didn’t get a phone number.
Wayne Fuhr
The DBG Fruit Growers Group
email: fuhrwe@telus.net
Ph. 780 452 8054
Hi Wayne, It was a pleasure to meet you at the DBG fruit growers festival. We were realy excited about the number of people there and how extensive fruit knowledge is in edmonton. We all learned something new.
Thanks for the contact information. I’ll send you a note.
Amy Beaith
Is there a phone# I can pass on to my 72year old brotherinlaw? He lives in the Calder area and has apple trees that sure could have their fruit picked. Please advise me of the # and I will pass it on to him.
Thank you.
Your fruit form and contact links don’t work. I can’t contact you.
I like this idea because most of my apples go in the compost since can’t use them fast enough. To bad my tree is done for the year.
This is really great! I will be passing this on to my nutrition colleagues.
Congratulations Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton! This is a fabulous idea that creates a win-win-win for homeowners, volunteers and the Edmonton Food Bank! Your interview with CBC Radio today was excellent!