Our MissionFrom tree care to fruit share, we empower Boulder communities to reduce food waste, increase equitable access to locally grown fruit, minimize wildlife conflicts, and foster healthy and productive fruit trees. |
Our VisionOur vision is a community united in strength, health, resilience, and justice, where a vibrant urban tree canopy thrives, supported by knowledgeable stewards. Here, everyone enjoys access to healthy, local food, food waste is dramatically reduced, and humans and wildlife coexist in balance. |
Impact
Since 2014, Community Fruit Rescue's Harvest Program has:
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Rescued more than
lbs of fruit
Distributed
servings of fruit locally to food insecure individuals & families
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Organized over
harvests
Engaged nearly
volunteers who contributed thousands of hours of work
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Where does the fruit go?
Community Fruit Rescue is dedicated to reducing food waste and promoting sustainability through our community harvests. Since our establishment in 2014, our team has successfully diverted over 110,000 lbs of fruit (not counting composted fruit) from being wasted on the ground or sent to landfills - with more to come!
Fruit for People
Our primary goal is to provide fresh and healthy local fruit to food insecure individuals and families in the community; this is primarily done in partnership with our friends at
- Community Food Share
- Boulder Food Rescue
- Longmont Food Rescue
- And other mission-based organizations or schools upon request.
Fruit for Animals
The fruit that is not suitable for human consumption but still edible for animals is distributed to our nonprofit partners at the Wild Animal Sanctuary, Luvin' Arms Sanctuary, Good Life Refuge, and local farms upon request and availability
What about the fruit that's not fit for people or animals?
Fallen or rotting fruit is composted by placing it into the tree stewards’ curbside compost carts, which is then taken to the A1 Organics facility for composting.
Experience a CFR harvest in less than two minutes!
Many thanks to CFR volunteer Camden Aguilar for creating this video!
Our Community Impact
Kristine, CFR Volunteer since 2018Community Fruit Rescue is such a unique experience, and we make the trek from Centennial because it's a wonderful opportunity to volunteer as a family and because I love how the organization makes use of food that would otherwise likely go to waste. I think kids in general love hard work, especially outside, and the results are so tangible with Community Fruit Rescue! We learn so much together, including team work, plant life cycles, where food comes from, and it also helps us think about food waste, which is a huge problem in our country. We have been volunteering since 2018, and as my boys have gotten older, it's become even more fun! We are very grateful to have the opportunity to work together as a family with such a wonderful organization.
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Community Food Share"At Community Food Share, we’re more than a food bank — we’re a neighbor and a friend who’s been part of the fabric of Boulder and Broomfield Counties for decades. We know that ending hunger in our communities requires collaboration. That’s why we greatly appreciate our partnership with Community Fruit Rescue as they provide Community Food Share with a bounty of just-picked apples and pears, that our participants love. With over 10,500 lbs of fruit already donated to our food bank and our local Partner Agencies in 2022, Community Fruit Rescue is committed to fighting against food insecurity for years to come." Photo © Caroline Colvin.
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Wild Animal SanctuaryWhile the majority of Community Fruit Rescue's harvested fruit is donated to humans in need, some of our other fruit recipients are much...furrier. Along with many other species, the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, CO houses approximately 117 Black Bears and over 83 Grizzly Bears that were rescued from illegal or abusive situations. And they require a lot of food and care! At each of our harvests, our team saves as much of the fruit as possible to prevent it from ending up in the landfill. Fruit that is slightly damaged or unripe is donated to the Wild Animal Sanctuary's bears. We’re also proud that our harvests remove a critical food attractant for Boulder's wild black bears, and instead support these rescue bears in Keenesburg.
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Heather, Boulder Tree StewardEarlier this season, Heather reached out to Community Fruit Rescue about a bear trying to access her trash and compost bins at her Newlands area home. Thankfully her bear-resistant bins held their own and the bear was unsuccessful, but Heather wanted to take further action to discourage the bear from coming back. CFR worked with Heather to schedule a harvest ASAP and our volunteers harvested over 80 lbs of apples from her tree that were then donated to people in need. Better yet, Heather and her family now have one less reason for bears to visit her property. Thank you, Heather, for taking action to protect Boulder's bears!
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Our History
In 2014, Community Fruit Rescue was formed by a coalition of 350 Colorado, Boulder Bear Coalition, Boulder Food Rescue and FallingFruit.org. While each group had a slightly different purpose for investing in CFR, the overlapping goal was to harvest and distribute the surplus urban fruit growing throughout the Boulder region to reduce food waste, minimize greenhouse gas emissions, protect wildlife, build resilient communities, and direct fresh food to people who need it. Today, Community Fruit Rescue continues as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
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