Every Wednesday, a Eugene Area Gleaner volunteer picks up a donation from the Bread Stop and the Muffin Mill. We cannot predict how much bread or the types that will be donated. It is simply a gift. Sometimes it is there in abundance, sometimes it is not. Types of breadstuffs we have seen include: sliced bread (wheat, rye, white, sourdough, flaxseed, multigrain, potato), rounds (rosemary, potato), focaccia, french bread, hoagie rolls, hamburger buns, pizza dough (rare), challah, granola, rolls. Types of muffins, etc that we’ve seen: muffins, cookies, cake, cheesecake, and cinnamon buns.
The bread is amazing quality; no preservatives, all-natural, which means it goes moldy fast. Because we are receiving this gift at or near the sell-by date, I recommend refrigerating or freezing the bread if it cannot be used immediately. We sort the bread (moldy or not) upon arrival. People with chickens take the moldy bread so that nothing goes to waste.
We rotate the location of the initial bread donation every month to reach as many Gleaners as possible. The driver volunteer meets the host volunteer and hands off the bread. The Host will set up the bread in front of his or her house (preferably covered and not muddy!) with flyers explaining what the bread is for and what our group does, inviting new members. They will then email the list with their name, address, phone number, and approximately what is available at the start of the donation.
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