Homegrown Foods
Too much fruit on the tree? That's the whole idea.
Homegrown Foods picks up the surplus from Valley yards and gets it to people who'll eat it. You tell us what you have, we handle the rest, and you get a receipt.
Why we are called Homegrown Foods
Permascaping is the work. Homegrown Foods is the reason for it.
Homegrown Foods is the nonprofit behind Permascaping, a 501(c)(3) with one aim: communities in the Phoenix Valley that feed themselves from their own gardens and food forests. Every basin we dig, every tree we plant and every workday we run is a step toward it.
A Valley that feeds itself doesn't have an empty fridge next door to a tree dropping fruit. Harvest season here is lopsided: one yard has more oranges than a family can eat, and the surplus ends up on the ground. This page is how it ends up on a table instead.
Donating food is the simplest way to take part. No digging, no planting, no account. A tree you already have, doing what it was always meant to do.
Who this is for
Homegrown surplus, from a yard in the Valley. Yours or someone you know.
Yes, bring it
- A tree with more than you can pickCitrus in January, figs in July, pomegranates in October. One mature tree feeds a family and then some.
- A neighbor's tree, with their blessingTell us about it and we'll talk to them. Plenty of fruit goes to waste because the owner doesn't know who to call.
- A garden that overdid itForty pounds of zucchini, a flush of greens before the heat, a second crop of tomatoes. Picked or still growing.
- Eggs and herbs tooBackyard eggs and cut herbs count. If it came out of a yard in the Valley, it belongs here.
Not this
- GroceriesThis isn't a food drive. Canned goods and store-bought food go to a food bank, and we can point you to one.
- Prepared food, without a heads-upWe're open to cooked meals and baked goods, but they need their own handling protocol. Tell us first and we'll set it up.
- Fruit that's past itTouching the ground isn't the problem; quality is. If it's soft, split or looking a little sus, it's compost, and we can still take it through our partner Green Thumbs Recycling.
How a pickup works
Four steps, most of them ours.
Tell us what and how much
Which fruit or produce, roughly how much, whether it's picked, and when it needs to go. Two minutes in the form below.
We pick up, or you drop off
We come with boxes, ladders and poles if it's still on the tree. If you've already boxed it, we collect it or you bring it to a workday.
It goes to community partners
Pantries, mutual aid groups, neighborhood fridges and senior programs around the Valley. It moves within days and stays local.
You get a receipt
What you gave and how much, from a 501(c)(3). Keep it for your taxes; the value is yours to set.
The tax deduction
Homegrown Foods is a 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 92-3311736. Produce you donate is an in-kind gift, and the receipt we hand you records what and how much so you have the paperwork.
By IRS rules the value of an in-kind donation is set by the donor, not the charity, so we don't put a dollar figure on it. A fair reference is what the same fruit sells for at a market. What it's worth on your return depends on how you file, so talk to your tax preparer.
Offer your harvest
One question at a time. Tell us what you have and we take it from there, usually within a day or two.
Questions
Who gets the food?
Community partners around the Valley: food pantries, mutual aid groups, neighborhood fridges, senior programs and the volunteers at our own workdays. It stays local and it moves within days.
Do I have to pick it?
No. Tell us it's on the tree and we'll bring ladders, poles and people. If you'd rather pick it yourself, tell us when it's boxed and we'll collect it.
What if I only have a little?
A single box is worth the trip when it's on the way. Tell us what you have and we'll fit it into a route.
Is it tax deductible?
Yes. Homegrown Foods is a 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 92-3311736. Our receipt records what you gave and how much. By IRS rules the value of an in-kind gift is set by you, the donor, not by us, so talk to your tax preparer about what it's worth on your return.
Can I donate money or land instead?
Yes. Money keeps the trucks and the ladders moving, and land becomes the next community orchard. Read about donating a piece of land, or write to team@permascaping.com.
What about fruit that's already gone bad?
That's compost, and we take it too, through our partner Green Thumbs Recycling. See the compostable waste page; it's a separate pickup from the food that gets eaten.
Other ways to give
Ground for the next community orchard, or a hand at the next planting.