Ruth’s Gleanings empowers people in nutritional poverty by increasing access to fresh, healthy food. We do this through multiple avenues: Our Gleaning program, our FoodShare fresh food box program, our Food Hub, and our Community Garden & Seed Bank. Our programs are interrupters to the traditional food system in that we have created innovative ways of breaking down barriers to fresh foods for those who need it most. We increase access to fresh and affordable foods for low-income residents throughout Spartanburg, South Carolina by partnering with approximately 70 other agencies, organizations, places of worship, and the local healthcare system to reach as many people as possible who lack fresh and nutritious food. We also work within our local food system to strengthen growers and distributors and to bridge the gap between the freshest food available and the 13% of people who struggle with access to this food.