July. 21, 2005
By Linda Green and Matthew Oates

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Armed with knives, gloves, boxes, strong backs and bended knees, nearly 20 United Methodist men were part of system to get food to the hungry in Indiana.

The men, attending the 9th National Gathering of United Methodist Men at Purdue University, July 15-17, gleaned cabbage at the 2,800-acre farm of Levi Huffman. The 20,000 pounds of cabbage collected July 15 were sent to Food Finders Inc., to be distributed to the hungry in 10 Indiana counties.

Later in the day, 75 men sorted 38,000 pounds of North Carolina potatoes in the stadium parking lot at Purdue University. The potatoes, after being unloaded from the truck in 50-pound bags, were placed into 15-pound bags, bound for food pantries in north central Indiana.

The gleaning of the Huffman cabbage field and the bagging of potatoes was to simply "help feed the hungry in Jesus' name," said David McCleary, the hunger relief advocate for North Indiana Annual (regional) Conference, a program of the United Methodist Commission on United Methodist Men and the Society of St. Andrew.

McCleary, one of 25 hunger relief advocates in United Methodist annual conferences across the United States, helps coordinate the gleaning of fields for vegetables that are distributed to food agencies to feed the hungry.

The gleaning and bagging at the national gathering of men was important because "it shows that we have a connection and that our connection is ecumenical to help feed hungry people," he said.

Many of those participating in the potato drop were first-timers at sorting potatoes, as well as first-time attendees of the men's gatherings.

Paul Hoffman, 19, of South Haven, Mich., was surprised at how many potatoes were in the truck. "That's a bunch of potatoes," he said while sorting. "This sounded interesting so I decided to participate. I was interested in helping out the community."

Jan Lemler of Bourbon, Ind., was enjoying the fellowship and camaraderie of the drop. "I know there's a tremendous need, and it is good to see foodstuffs not going to waste," said Lemler. "I'm happy to serve, and there's joy in serving and giving."

Gleaning activities through the Society of St. Andrew provide opportunities for United Methodist men to assist in "gathering the more than 96 billion pounds of food that is wasted annually in the United States through mechanical harvesting," McCleary said.

"We go out and glean a lot of potatoes that are left standing on top of the ground after a potato harvest (and) tomatoes after a tomato harvest. Otherwise, that is produce that is going to go to waste and it might as well go to the hungry people.

"Our economy has turned around, but it has turned around for the rich and it has turned around for the middle class, but poor people are still poor for whatever reason." He noted that at least 36 million people go to bed or get up hungry in the United States.

Since gleaning of fields is not a task that everyone can perform, each of the 2,200 men in attendance at the gathering was encouraged to bring five cans of soup or nonperishable packaged food for local food banks. At the conclusion of the men's conference, more than 5,000 pounds of canned goods had been collected.

Huffman donated his cabbage field for gleaning by United Methodist Men to further the family's mission of "helping those that are needy," he said. "

In addition to produce, Huffman also raises hogs. Each quarter, he gives meat from a sow to the food bank of a local church for distribution.

United Methodist News Service
Linda Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn. Matthew Oates serves as the North Indiana correspondent for Indiana Area Communications.