Too Much Fruit on your Trees? Garden Thriving? Donate!
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 Metro's Community Food Systems Program is excited to announce that we are increasing the breadth of Food to Share by adding an urban gleaning component to our food recovery efforts.
As you know, there are many households throughout Fresno that have fruit trees that often go unpicked and gardens that provide more than one family can consume. Rather than let that food go to waste, Food to Share intends to harvest that food and get it to neighborhoods who have little or no access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Metro is conducting outreach and having conversations with churches, schools, organizations and businesses to find community members to join the "Glean Team." There are three ways YOU can get involved... 1. Pick your trees or a row from your garden and bring the fruit/vegetable to a designated drop off point; 2. Offer your trees to be gleaned by volunteers; and/or 3. Become a volunteer at upcoming gleaning events and food distributions. Help Food to Share bring nutritious food to neighborhoods in need.
For more information or to schedule a conversation about Food to Share with your church, school, organization or business, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or call 559-485-1416.
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Better Blackstone BUZZ...
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 Metro's Better Blackstone project is on the move! We've spent the spring having in-depth conversations with dozens of neighborhood residents, pastors and other leaders in our Central Fresno Project area. We have begun to come together to learn about how our local government functions and some key places for community members to be engaged in order to build a better Blackstone and a better Fresno.
There are a number of important opportunities coming up for community members to voice the needs of their neighborhoods for better walking and biking facilities in public meetings, and also learning events, which will provide opportunities to help build a strong constituency for local policy that promotes sustainability and resource conservation of our air, water and valuable farmland. Join us and help spread the word on the following upcoming events:
- May 19: City of Fresno Active Transportation Plan Public Workshop, Fresno City College, Old Administration Building, 5:30-7:30 pm
- May 25: Fresno Midtown Trail Final Consideration, Fresno County Transportation Authority Meeting, Fresno COG Offices, 2530 Tulare Street, Suite 201, 9-12 pm
- June 8: Fresno COG Needs Assessment Workshop, Fresno COG Offices, 2530 Tulare St, Suite 201, 1-4 pm
- June 22: Building a Better Blackstone, Fresno City College, Old Administration Building, 6-8:30 pm
- June 30: Regional Opportunities for Sustainability and Resource Conservation, UC Merced, 10-3 pm
- August 7: Better Blackstone Resource Fair, Vineyard Farmers' Market, 1-5 pm
For more information on upcoming events, or to schedule a time to share your own Blackstone story, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 559-485-1416.
Metro's Better Blackstone work is supported by funding from The Whitney Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund and Wells Fargo Bank
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Let's Celebrate OOOOBY's First Year!
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Join us on Friday, May 20 from 3 - 7 pm at Ooooby/Fresno Food Commons' One Year Anniversary! Bring your family and friends out to learn about where your food comes from and the people that make it happen, enjoy local tastes and have a good ol' time!
Additionally, as part of the Fresno County Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) initiative, Metro and Food Commons Fresno will showcase their Farm to School innovations and opportunities to connect recovered food to community residents in low-income Fresno food desert areas.
The Partnerships to Improve Community Health Initiative is made possible with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Implementation and Dissemination for Chronic Disease Prevention Initiative.
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Thank You and Goodbye to Long-time Staff Member
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 After dedicating nearly 8 years to Fresno Metro Ministry, Sarah Sharpe has moved on. Joining the team as the Environmental Health Program Director, she spent many years working hand-in-hand with Latinos United for Clean Air, Central Valley Air Quality Coalition, Californians for Pesticide Reform, CCEJN and many others to improve air quality and fight for environmental justice in the San Joaquin Valley.
Sarah also served as the organization's Co-Director for a year with Chanel Ruiz-Mendez, during the transition to our new Executive Director and visionary, Keith Bergthold. Since then, she served on the management team, overseeing the development of the Resilient Communities Program and learning all aspects of non-profit administration.
We are truly grateful for Sarah's contribution to Metro and commitment to the health and well-being of Fresno! We wish her luck in her new role as Associate Director for the Central California Asthma Collaborative.
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Spring Food Expo
Saturday, May 14
9am-12pm
Monday, May 16
3 - 5 pm
OOOOBY's 1st Anniversary Celebration
Friday, May 20
3 - 7pm
Hunger Action Day 2016
Wednesday, May 25
Sacramento 6 am - 6pm
To participate please contact: Luis Hernandez at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION (Volunteers Needed- Call Metro at 559-485-1416)
Friday, May 27
11 am
Fresno Spring Festival
May 28-29
9 am- 5pm
Calwa Recreation & Park
Neighborhood Markets Food Give Away
Tuesday, May 31
1 - 3 pm (Health & Wellness Workshop 12-1 pm)
Do you have community events you want to share? Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.by the 1st Monday of the month.
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