For more information on Membership
661.745.4536
HOURS
TAFT
201 HARRISON ST.
Every Tuesday and Thursday
6 - 8 pm
FRAZIER PARK
16301 ASKIN DR.
Pine Mountain Club
Every Friday 11:30 am-12:30 pm
ARVIN
OPENING OCTOBER 14th
141 'A' STREET
Every Monday and Wednesday
6 - 8 pm
We are a forward-thinking, organization, working on innovative ways to feed families,
not landfills.
At Open Harvest, we specialize in FRESH FOOD displayed like a typical grocery store where our guests have the opportunity to select the foods that their families enjoy.
Admittedly, collecting, sorting, properly transporting, and storing fresh food and then redistributing it, is expensive and time-consuming. That is why LOTH started a membership program (a shared maintenance fee). The membership costs $30 per month and helps pay for the fuel, transportation, and electricity to collect, sort, transport, and store the fresh food.
Members are entitled to up to 3 grocery bags per visit, so the cost per bag can be as low as $1 or as little as 3 cents per meal. Open Harvest is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 pm. Income or citizenship verification is not needed. And each $30 membership (or shared maintenance fee) is good for 30 days.
The people utilizing Open Harvest are productive families that work in the fields, at fast food restaurants, and in jobs throughout our community who can easily afford $30 a month for high quality, fresh groceries but who would really struggle if they had to pay $200, $300, $400 a month for food for their families. These are the people Open Harvest serves. The working poor. At Open Harvest you don’t have to be destitute to receive a helping hand.
FAQs
Q: How much is an Open Harvest membership per month? A: A membership is $30 a month and allows you to visit once a day during Open Harvest which is Tuesday & Thursdays in Taft, Ca at 201 Harrison Street.
Q: How much food can I get at Open Harvest? A: You select the food you want and are allowed to fill up to 3 grocery bags of any of the foods offered which generally include meat, fresh produce, dairy, bakery and deli items. Our inventory does depend on the food collected that week but currently LOTH collects more than 60,000 pounds of food per month from leading grocery stores. You can prepare meals for as little as 3 cents per meal.
Q: How do I qualify? A: No qualification is necessary. You’ll never be asked how much money you earn.
Q: Who are Open Harvest’s typical members? A: Our members are generally working families that earn too much to qualify for the food bank programs but who are still struggling month to month to make ends meet. If they had to pay several hundreds of dollars for food each month, it could be devastating
Q: Does LOTH offer free food programs? A: Yes. We have daily free bags we call “Homie Bags” which is about a one-day supply of food. This program is for those deemed homeless and have no way to prepare food. We also give free food to several local community organizations that have their own distribution... we are happy to pass along that information if you ask us.
Q: Is the membership fee paying for the food? A: Absolutely not. The Membership fee is often referred to as a “shared maintenance fee” which pays the various costs incurred to collect, sort, store, and redistribute fresh food. Many food banks and food collection agencies charge this fee and other fees to cover maintenance costs.
Q: Is the food LOTH receives from the grocery stores expired or spoiled? A: No. We collect fresh food that is past its sell-by date but is still absolutely fresh. We carefully inspect all the food collected so that spoiled or expired food is never offered to the public. We donate any spoiled or expired food to local farmers to feed to their livestock.
Q: How do I know the fresh food I select at Open Harvest has been stored and handled properly? A: All of the food collectors at LOTH have received training and have obtained a Food Handlers Permit. LOTH is regularly inspected by the County Health Department and receives excellent comments. In fact, we are working with the County Health Department to develop a Facility Grade like local restaurants so visitors can see our outstanding grade.