Message from the president
A Warm Welcome to Our OFRE Community
Greetings!
To all of you who are long-term members and supporters of Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton (OFRE)—thank you for your support and dedication to our mission to harvest, preserve, and share local fruit. And to those of you who are just meeting us—welcome!
Adapting Through Challenges
We’ve been quiet for some time, and this message is both a reintroduction and an invitation to join us in shaping OFRE’s future. Like many not-for-profit organizations, we faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted our ability to operate and led to some big changes. The pandemic, coupled with board burnout, led us to pass our fruit rescue program to the Leftovers Foundation and the maintenance of the McCauley Orchard to Sustainable Food Edmonton (SFE).
At our 2022 AGM, we had to consider winding down as an organization. Yet, from that pivotal meeting, a team of committed and passionate people stepped forward to carry OFRE’s mission forward, adapting it to meet the needs of today’s community.
OFRE’s Vision for a New Chapter
Our vision for the future focuses on creating opportunities for people to connect with and learn from Edmonton’s natural abundance. Instead of fruit rescue and orchard maintenance, OFRE’s efforts are now dedicated to community-based education and skill-building.Â
Through workshops, we’re excited to share knowledge and techniques to preserve food, care for fruit trees, and celebrate the harvest together. Some of the educational workshops we’re developing include:
- Fruit and vegetable preservation methods
- Tree grafting and care techniques
- Cider pressing workshops (a fall favorite!)
- Hands-on classes on fermentation, canning, and more
It has been both a challenge and a pleasure to lead this team through a period of transformation—from early visions, through in-depth strategic planning sessions supported by the Community Development Unit of the Government of Alberta, to developing an action plan that brings this strategy to life.
Join Us in Bringing OFRE’s Vision to Life
Here’s where you come in.
As we build these programs, we need dedicated volunteers to help bring our vision into reality. We’re reaching out not only to invite you to consider joining one of our committees but also to ask for your help in spreading the word. Sharing our mission with your friends, family, and social media networks would be a wonderful way to help OFRE grow our community and fill these important volunteer roles.Â
The following committees are at the heart of our future plans:
- Education/Workshops: Developing, organizing, and delivering community workshops.
- Events: Coordinating OFRE-led gatherings, including our flagship cider pressing events.
- Fundraising: Planning fundraising initiatives to sustain OFRE’s new projects.
- Grant Writing: Securing funding that supports our programs and sustainability.
- Marketing: Spreading awareness and promoting OFRE’s mission across Edmonton.
Please visit the volunteer section of our website to learn more about these roles and responsibilities. You can sign up to volunteer, or simply contact us directly with any questions.
Stay Connected—We Value Your Presence
We understand that this new chapter may feel different from the OFRE you first connected with, and we respect that change can prompt reflection. If you’re uncertain, we encourage you to subscribe to our updates and event notices below. This will allow you to explore the direction we’re heading and see how our renewed mission resonates with you.
We hope you’ll join us on this journey as we continue working toward a greener, more food-secure Edmonton. Thank you for your support and for being part of this important work.