Community Fruit Rescue

An abundance of urban fruit

Dating back to the 1880s, early settlers of Boulder Valley took up the age-old practice of agriculture, and much of Boulder was developed as fruit orchards. Today, many of the remaining fruit trees thrive throughout Boulder’s urban areas and wild lands. Unfortunately, many of these trees go by unnoticed; once the fruit ripens, it falls to the ground and is left to rot on neighborhood sidewalks, residential properties, public parks, and throughout the city. Not only is this wasted fruit a mess for Boulder’s urban areas, but it is a dangerous attractant for wildlife like black bears.

 

Our mission

To address this issue, Community Fruit Rescue (CFR) was founded by the community, for the community. From 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 impact

Now in our 11th year, Community Fruit Rescue has harvested nearly 180,000 pounds of fruit that would have otherwise gone to waste—and in many cases, would have become wildlife attractants in residential neighborhoods. Our small but mighty team organizes neighborhood harvests where volunteers glean backyard fruit trees while building community in the process. After each harvest, fruit is sorted and shared with food-insecure individuals and families through partner organizations such as Community Food Share, Boulder Food Rescue, Longmont Food Rescue, local schools, and more. Even “lesser quality” fruit is put to good use, feeding animals at sanctuaries and farms including The Wild Animal Sanctuary, Luvin’ Arms, and Good Life Refuge.

This year, we were proud to launch a new collaborative initiative harvesting chokecherries from Boulder backyards for Tribal communities on the Wind River Reservation. Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers, harvest leaders, tree stewards, and partners, CFR collected 200+ pounds of chokecherries in this inaugural effort. These berries, which are in short supply near our Tribal partners—whose Ancestral Homeland spans Boulder and beyond—are now being used in Tribal ceremonies and cultural practices. CFR also helped transform some of the fruit into chokecherry jam, a special gift for Tribal Elders.

Creating a circular, community-centered program

As we grow, we’re focusing on a full-circle vision of fruit rescue—one that begins with healthy, well-cared-for trees, continues through community harvests, and ends with preserved fruit that nourishes families long after the season ends. This more holistic approach allows us to reduce waste at every stage, strengthen local food resilience, and empower community members with the skills and tools to care for their trees, participate in harvests, and preserve the abundance they produce. With this vision in mind, your support in the coming year will help us bring these goals to life.

  

Your donation

Community Fruit Rescue is a small, largely volunteer-led organization. By making a tax-deductible donation today on Colorado Gives Day, you will enable our team to:

• Expand countywide to meet increasing fruit tree harvest requests and bring harvests to more neighborhoods across Boulder County

• Pilot new programming through our Fruit Preservation Program, including processing surplus fruit into shelf-stable products for food-insecure communities

• Establish a community Tool Library with both fruit preservation gear (canning equipment, dehydrators, a cider press) and comprehensive tree care equipment (pruning tools, pole saws, backpack sprayers) to support residents in caring for their trees

• Offer Spanish-language programming, including bilingual harvests, communications, materials, and workshops

• Grow our harvest leader team to increase capacity during peak season and better support neighborhood-level harvests

• Strengthen partnerships with food pantries, farms, mutual aid groups, and community organizations

• Scale our annual harvest efforts to continue reducing human–bear conflict by preventing unpicked fruit from becoming attractants

• Offer more free workshops and community events, building skills and connection around local food

• Expand access for people of all ages and backgrounds, continuing to build a diverse, welcoming, woman-led organization committed to “Fruit Harvests for All”

Thank you for supporting Community Fruit Rescue!