| 1972 | Monica Belcher, a homemaker, approaches Washington County Community Action to propose a gleaning program as a nutrition and self-help program for low-income families. |
| 1973 | The Gleaning Project distributed fresh produce to 125 households. |
| 1976 | Portland area Community Action Agencies form the Metro Area Gleaning Cooperative. Five gleaning groups harvest and distribute 300,000 pounds of produce to 1,129 families and food banks. |
| 1977 | The Oregon Legislature passes a tax credit for farmers who donate to gleaning programs. The credit is equal to 10 percent of the wholesale value of the crop. |
| 1979 | The Oregon Gleaning Project reports that 15 gleaning programs across the state harvested and distributed 798,817 pounds of produce to 2,348 member households. |
| 1980s | Community Action Agencies across the state shift their support to regional food banks as a solution to hunger. Gleaning groups become independent 501©3s and continue to grow in size and number. |
| 1990 | Oregon Food Bank and its network of Regional Food Banks are the primary source of hunger relief in the state. Only a few RFBs work in partnership with gleaning groups. |
| Late 1990s | Food banks and gleaning groups realize they must work together to meet the growing need of people who are hungry. |
| 1998 | Oregon Food Bank hires, with funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature, the state’s first statewide gleaning coordinator. The USDA Farm Service Agency provides office space and support for the position. |
| 2001 | The Oregon Legislature revises the Gleaning Tax Credit to cover already harvested crops donated to hunger-relief charities. |
| 2003 |
Governor Kulongoski signs a proclamation declaring the 30th anniversary of gleaning in Oregon. |
| Today |
More than 10,000 low-income households belong
to 27 Oregon
Food Bank Network gleaning groups throughout Oregon and
gather and distribute an estimated five-million pounds of
food. |
