Free Fruit and Sweat Equity

Just read about a guy in San Diego who organizes volunteers to go to residents and small orchards that are behind on their picking. Volunteers harvest the fruit and then he coordinates donating it to homeless families. That is a great example of sustainable community focused direct action service. 

Reminds me of Project M who helps families in Tijuana to earn "sweat equity" to get materials and help to build their own house by helping work on other people's houses. Not only does it help build safer and sturdier houses for families living in precarious situations and develop the volunteer's skills but it also strengthens the community by building relationships between families who arrive in the "colonia" areas often with few family ties in the area and even fewer resources. Good ideas that build community.