Ontario Food Collaborative

Hello Volunteers,

THANK YOU for your commitment to reducing food waste and helping those experiencing food insecurity!

Below are some COVID guidelines to keep in mind while harvesting on behalf of Home Harvest:

• You must SIGN A WAIVER prior to attending a harvest

• Volunteers who sign up in the app must keep a record of everyone who attends each harvest with them so that they can be notified if needed for contact-tracing purposes

• Please WEAR A MASK throughout the harvest and WASH YOUR HANDS/USE HAND SANITIZER before and after the harvest (and during, if necessary). Contact [email protected] if you’d like a reusable mask.

• PHYSICAL DISTANCING MUST BE PRACTICED AT ALL TIMES. Please ensure you maintain physical distance from individuals not in your cohort, including other harvest volunteers and growers. 

• DO NOT HARVEST FOOD if you and/or someone that you have been in close contact with is not feeling well, has travelled within 14 days, has been in contact with a confirmed case of the Coronavirus, or are awaiting test results.

• SANITIZE SURFACES you come in contact with (fences, gates, tools, equipment) before and after the harvest.

• LEAVE NO TRACE. Please take home any sanitizing equipment, masks and garbage created throughout the pick. 

• Practice NO CONTACT DROP OFFS at agencies (ensure that the food is in a safe/covered area).

• Bags or boxes that you are using to contain/transport the harvested food do not need to be sterilized, but please ensure they are clean.

Please Note: Volunteers are not responsible for washing fruit before donation to charities. Charities that accept fruit donations will be responsible for fruit washing before food preparation and/or eating.

If you have any questions at all, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you so much for your help and willingness to be there for our community!