Got Fruit? Give Fruit!
We are a non-profit group in the San Gabriel Valley that harvests extra fruit from homeowners’ trees and donates it to local food banks.
Fruit Forward: New Partnership Keeps Us Picking
Fruit For All has formed relationships with many people since my family and friends started picking fruit in 2010. Some of our homeowners have called us three or four times to harvest their trees. After my brother headed off to college, I wanted to ensure a harvest organization would be here to help our loyal customers. Food Forward is the perfect answer. The folks at Food Forward share our philosophy and our work ethic, and we feel Fruit For All loyalists will be in good hands in the coming years with Food Forward.
Like Fruit For All, Food Forward is a non-profit, volunteer-powered group that picks fruit and donates 100% of it to local food pantries. Fruit picked in San Gabriel Valley will primarily go to SGV food banks and pantries. Call Food Forward at 818-530-4125 or visit its website http://foodforward.org and click on the “Get Involved” and then “Property Owners” tabs to register your tree. Food Forward is fully insured and all property owners receive a tax deduction for every pound harvested. In addition, on the website, you’ll see how easy it is to sign up to join one of our picks. Select the “Events” tab and look for a pick in the San Gabriel Valley and join us.
Happy Harvesting,
Jackson Selby
Co-founder
of Fruit For All
Unsung Heroes of Los Angeles
On October 12, 2011, Zach Selby, co-founder of Fruit For All, was recognized as an Unsung Hero of Los Angeles.
The California Community Foundation and The Eisner Foundation recently honored Zach Selby for his extraordinary philanthropy to the community at the 2011 Unsung Heroes of Los Angeles Awards, an event celebrating the power and impact of philanthropy in Los Angeles. Selby received The Unsung Heroes of Los Angeles Awards to Extraordinary Individuals. Pictures and video footage from the ceremony are available at www.calfund.org/unsungheroes.
Fruit For All 
I am Founder and CEO of PUENTE Learning Center. This morning I learned about your project from my sister who lives in Arcadia. She said that the two students who stopped by her home were “terrific” and represented your organization very well.
Through my Center I have made many contacts and may be able to help in some way. Please keep me posted on your project.
Question……how do high school students get involved?
Thank you for helping life to be a little better for others.
Sister Jennie
Thanks for your great comments, Sister Jennie!
To answer your question, high school students can get involved through email, this website, or by giving us a call. Since we are a non-profit, we keep track of their service hours and give them a record of their work.
Our biggest need is finding homeowners with trees and then getting volunteers to pick them!
Thanks,
Zach Selby
Founder
I saw your website on a passage with you in it!!
I’d like to donate. I have a whole tree of excess oranges. How do I donate? I don’t see a phone number here?
Hello Jennifer. Our phone number is 626-359-6666 or you can email us at fruitforallkids@gmail.com. Whichever is better for you.
Do you have a contact for San Marcos, CA 92078? I have 2 orange trees and one lemon tree full of fruit.
Let me do some research and I’ll get back to you by email. We do sometimes work in Hacienda Heights, so I’ll see what might be available. Thanks for contacting us. I’ll be in touch.
Judith
Zach, I’m a college instructor in Ventura County. Your work is inspiring and I’d like to congratulate you on your commitment to making a difference. I’m going to use your website to inspire my students to make a difference. Thank you! P.S. In November the persimmons on my backyard tree will be ripe and ready for picking. You and your staff are more than welcome should you find a need for the bounty. Sheryl Leonard
Hello Ms. Leonard. Thank you so much for the acknowledgment. It means a lot.
I’d love to come pick your persimmons when they are ripe. Ventura County maybe be out of our realm though; but if you send me your address when your persimmons come ripe I will check.
Just curious, how did you hear about our organization? We must be spreading the word if it is all the way out in Ventura!
–Zach
Hi Zach,
The persimmons are ripe! Yes, it’s a bit of a trek for you so I understand if you’re unable to come out. I heard of your organization through micro-documetaries.com who filmed your work. Contact me should you decide you need/want persimmons. The migrating birds and local crows are having a feast!
Hi Sheryl Leonard, not sure if there’s any interest in making this or seeing if any schools would pick your persimmons and make this in home ec or for an afterschool project – but it is only persimmons & lemon juice and makes what kids call “Fruit Rollups” – just a thought.
http://weelicious.com/2012/01/05/persimmon-fruit-leather/
Many other recipes when you google too!
Z, you are my hero!
I love Fruit
Zach, I had the television on for back ground noise and heard a little bit of your project and stopped what I was doing and sat down and watched the entire program. What a great project we don’t have much fruit in Springfield, Illinois. So is there any help I can give to you? If there is please let me know.
Gregg Donaldson
Springfield, Illinois
I like this, so what can i work with us guys? … : )
Hey Zach, I just saw a feature of your work on Sunday AM TV in South Florida and thought this is an incredible idea for this location, too. Do you know of anyone in the Ft. Lauderdale area doing the same thing? Thanks, Snorkelatlantic
i think this is a great idea do you know if there is anyone with a program like this in the inland empire? We were just look at our back yard at all the apples on the ground.
Dear Zach, I saw your story on Live life to win and I was very moved by your sense of compassion for others. You truly inspire others to reach out and move beyond their own life and into the hearts and souls of those in need. I commend you for your efforts. My non profit is http://www.livingforacause.org and I so understand your motovation. Keep up the loving work you are doing. Mary
U guys rock!!
🙂 Thanks!
Looking Great!! People helping others are just better!
Thank you. It’s rewarding — and fun!
Kudo’s Zach & coworkers & volunteers for doing such a needed community service where fruit that might’ve been wasted is now going to people who could use it as we all know times are tough in this economy. I learned about your organization by watching Live Life Win today on 5/11/13 which must be a repeat since others saw you on TV in May & August 2012 by reading comments. VERY MUCH WORTH REPEATING TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO HELP OTHERS OUT! I live in Dunstable, MA on the border of Southern New Hampshire in a rural town with vegetable & animal farms & even a working dairy farm. I even have a sizable veggie garden of my own. I am thinking of networking with others who have excess veggies/fruits & eggs to help out local soup kitchens. By attending local farmers markets I shall encourage people who have blemished veggies that they can’t sell and people who have fruit trees with “dropped fruit” to donate them as they can make breads/soups/pies/fruit purees to make lower calorie breads etc. If I can just get a dozen to start, then more people will find out about this project too. I shall even visit the farm in Dracut, MA that allows people to grow in thier “community farm” and let them in on what they can do to help out local soup kitchens as well. I’ve also noticed the only school in our small town that only goes up to 4th. grade has a few raised garden beds with just weeds right now, so I shall ask local grocery stores & Home Depot & Lowes stores that sell building materials & veggies & herbs to donate a few plants each and see if the school will let me show some students how to prep, plant, weed & pick the veggies & herbs. If they will allow that, I’ll even ask to teach recipes with what the gardens produce as one of the things the kids would love is fresh salsa & maybe lasagna with “zuccini noodles” & stuffed tomatoes & stuffed peppers! Thanks so much for the inspiration as I am unemployed and have the time now to “give back” to my community!
KEEP ON PICKING!!! So nice to hear teens do more than texting while driving – LOL!
Hi Lisa Marie,
Thanks for the kudos. It sounds as if you have some wonderful ideas for your area. We have a group here in California that also runs a Farmers Market Recovery Program. They pick up all of the leftover, unwanted fruits and veggies at the end of the market and take it to food banks and soup kitchens. Many of the farmers don’t want to haul the remaining produce back to their farm and are happy to donate it, getting a receipt for a donation to a non-profit. You could definitely organize something like that in Massachusetts. Keep your ideas flowing.
all it takes is one good thought to get the ball rolling to help other’s and will definitely take your idea and ask people at farmers markets to help out feeding those who are having a hard time by donating if they don’t want to haul thier unbought fruits & veggies back home!!
Keep up the good work you all are doing, I am sure it’s appreciated. Hugs…..
Hello, I just watched a TV review of your work on “Live Life And Win” show. Very inspiring. Congratulations on the success of your hard work and perseverance! Prosperity in fortune and friends is your future.
Thank you, Dan. It is a very rewarding endeavor.
Hello I just happened to be browsing in search engines for donations of fruit and vegetables for my children school in Irvington NJ. We are trying to organize a back pack ( fruits, veggies, can goods) for students family in need. When I saw this link it caught my eye. I just wanted to say good job to you and helpers because every fruit counts and your work is priceless.
We appreciate the compliment. Thanks. Your backpack idea sounds great. Good luck with organizing it. Your local food bank may be able to help.
Hello from Beijing!
Hi, I am a volunteer Chinese translator, your story was in my assignment this week, in order to translate with understanding, i googled your name, and it led me to this website. I just wanted to say that your work is super inspiring and awesome, thanks for being such a nice person and bring your kindness to this world.
Keep up!
TAN Juan
Your comment definitely wins the prize for “farthest away”! Thank you so much for your encouragement. We will certainly keep up the good work since we all do what we can. Thanks.
Great job Zach. I was move to tears by your story on Live life and Win. The world would be such an awesome place to live in, if we had more kids like you and your brother. Great Job.
If we each do our part, you’re right, the world would be better off. I was inspired by my mom; maybe I can inspire someone, too. Thanks.
hello gud day, im involve in a organization also, its a volunteer works.. one of our projects is to give fruits to children of a far flung barangay. they are those children that are not fortunate to taste or let me say that their family are cant afford to buy fruit such an apple, oranges and etch. wahat we are trying to campaign are we’re making a campaign to reach thatt children… im from philippines.. thank ..you.. maybe you can help us to reach or realize what we aim for!! thank you
It’s amazing how good a simple piece of fruit can make you feel. Keep up your good work.
Useful info. Fortunate me I discovered your site unintentionally, and I am shocked why
this accident did not took place earlier! I bookmarked it.
Lucky for you and lucky for us! Keep us in mind if you or your friends have extra fruit to harvest.
Hi there all, here every one is sharing these kinds of familiarity, therefore
it’s pleasant to read this blog, and I used to pay a visit this web site every day.
Glad you like it. Spread the word.
Wonderful, what a blog it is! This webpage gives helpful information to us, keep it up.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been running
a blog for? you make running a blog look easy. The total glance of
your website is magnificent, as well as the content!
Thanks for the compliments. It’s a challenge — that’s all I can say. But I am pleased that the blog seems to present our idea well.
You are one of Gods blessings to the world…I wish more kids were like you all. I’m watching the show Live Life and Win and it done my heart so good I cried. I thought generation x was lost but you all have renewed my faith in the youth today…keep up the good work…I’m one of the less fortunate and if it wasnt for my church and our local food bank Id starve. Thank you and God bless you kiddos
Thank you, Juanita. The work is truly rewarding, but your comment means the world. Thanks.
i just saw you on a tv show called Live Life and Win. You are an amazing, caring person and you made my day a little brighter! What a concept you came up with. Keep making this world a better place. Ms. Lisa
Thank you, Ms. Lisa. That show was filmed a few years ago, and I am off to college, but my mother still picks fruit for a group called Food Forward. Everybody can pitch in.
Need someone to harvest my olive trees
Fruit For All and Food Forward aren’t able to use olives, unfortunately. They have to be processed to be edible, and our goal is to harvest fruit that can be passed along directly to people who need food. You might check a local community college with a nutrition department. They might be interested in experimenting with your olives. Good luck.
I just seen what your doing on TV I’m amazed and happy to see someone doing something like this on your own,free.You and all your other volunteers are an awesome inspiration.I just turned 49 and I realize I can get out and make a difference. GOD Bless all of you and thank you.I will keep y’all in my prayers.I like to tell people about Jesus and getting Saved. So if you or anyone you meet please Get Saved Be Free. GOD is real and you and your contribution ,as well as your other volunteers are proof of that.Thank y’all.sincerly Oliver Hensley Oxford Ohio.
Thank you, Mr. Hensley. We all do what we can, don’t we?
I think what u are doing is very beneficial. I wish I knew of some like you in the northeast of Pa. Your efforts are amazing. thank you so much and I hope your organization spreads state wide. God Bless you Zack.
Thank you. I’m certain this kind of thing would work just about anywhere that has something growing. Check with your local food bank to see if it knows of anyone doing something similar. We appreciate the kind words. Thanks.
Way to go! I work for a produce broker and we definitely have TONS of companies that are looking for homes for rejected product from retailers. Where are you located? What kind of supply chain do you currently have in place? If you ever need help on the trucking side we could definitely help there as well. I’ll talk to my manager and see if there is any way that we can collaborate.
Thanks!
Thank you, Marilyn. We are in Southern California, near Pasadena. But, now, we work with Food Forward in LA County. If you have resources in this area, I’m certain the folks at Food Forward would like to hear about it. Its website is foodforward.org.
Your awesome! This is what community is all about. As a person that grew up living off food banks and the kindness of others I can tell you what you do means so much. Now that I’m grown I volunteer with different groups and pay forward all the help that was given to me as a child. Thank You Thank you Thank you.
Thanks for your “thanks” — what goes around comes around and I’m so glad to be part of the circle. You sound pretty awesome yourself.
August 28th 2017 I just saw your organization on a show called Live, life Win! And I must say I’m very impressed with your organization of young people that are doing something so positive. You’re doing a great service to home owners and helping others in need of food, we have a lot of homeowners here in Jacksonville Florida that waste a lot of fruit by not picking it. Is it possible you can start an organization here as well in Florida? I personally don’t have the resources but would be willing to help.
Hello, I definitely think a similar organization could work in Jacksonville, but we wouldn’t be able to start it. We’re just one family in Southern California. As the word gets out about Fruit For All and Food Forward, we hope others around the country will adopt our strategies. Thanks for your good wishes.
My 4th grade group is reading your story. They think what you are doing is amazing.
It has been a fun, rewarding project. Everyone can make a difference!
Hi, I did a test and I heard about fruit for all, in 4th grade. I want to help because I am trying to grow mango and avocado tree, I also have a orange tree but the oranges are green and pretty small.
That’s very cool that you followed up what you learned in a test and applied it to your own life. We are in southern California, but anyone can use their own fruit trees to help feed people who are hungry. When your fruit is ripe and ready, I’m sure you can pick it and donate it to your local food pantry or homeless shelter, where they can use the fruit.
It takes almost a year for the little oranges to turn orange and become sweet and ripe. Don’t be fooled when they change color; it still takes a long time for them to become sweet. Happy gardening!
Looking for a similar organization in Jacksonville Florida
Thanks
Florida would be a great place for a local harvest group. You might check with your local food banks to see if they have any knowledge of similar organizations.
Hi guys we are currently reviewing for our STAAR reading test and we came across your selection passage and were very inspired by your community contribution. I teach 5th grade and we will attempt to begin a “Fruit for All” chapter at our location. Amazing idea that you all came up with and it is true, otherwise the fruit does just rot on the floor.. Congratulations Mrs. Reyes’ 5th grade class at Garza-Peña Elementary San Juan, TX PSJA isd
Wow, that’s great news. Every little bit helps, and if everyone contributed as you and your students plan to do, our world will be better off. Good luck. And, thanks for letting us know.
We don’t have franchises or anything, but with a little elbow grease and hope, anyone could contribute in this way. Good luck.
Is there a way to sign up to receive donations
If you live in the Los Angeles area, there are a number of food banks and relief agencies that distribute the fruit we pick. You have to apply at one of those agencies. Your local churches may know who to contact. Even if you’re outside the Los Angeles area, you should contact a relief agency or food bank in your community.
Hi Zach,
Our 4th grade class just learned about this AMAZING organization by reading your story in one of our passages! Keep up the good work!
P.S. We are from South Texas
Thanks for the comment and encouragement.