The Southwestern Ontario Gleaners is a charitable organization that turns non-marketable produce into dried vegetable soup mix to aid people in the fight against hunger. In 2011, Tina Quiring wanted to help children who were starving. With injustices in the world due to poverty, famine, natural disasters and war, Tina knew she had to do something. She has devoted much of her life to helping hungry people get food since then. Tina gathered others who shared those feelings to discuss the vision for an organization that would use local produce to help feed hungry people around the world.

Soon a Board of Directors was organized, and after many months of planning, the SWO Gleaners was incorporated and they received their charitable business status. By 2013, a location (40 Industrial Rd. Leamington) was secured, volunteers were signed up and renovations began. Production began in August, 2013 with the first donation of fresh vegetables coming into the plant to be dried.

The initial years were tough, trying to secure financial support, purchasing machinery and hours and hours of trial and error to get the produce dried in a sufficient manner. With the help of local businesses, many supporters, and caring staff, the SWO Gleaners had taken off. Since then, over 25 million servings of dried vegetable soup mix and apple snacks have been produced and distributed to thousands of people both locally and around the world.

Today, the Southwestern Ontario Gleaners averages over 25 volunteers per day. They are producing over 5 million servings of dried vegetable mix and apple snacks each year. The price of production per bag of soup mix is dropping thanks to innovation and efficiency. Close to 1 million pounds of fresh produce is donated yearly from local farmers, and food processors.

Over 20 local charities in Windsor/Essex distribute our soup mix to those in our communities in need of a nutritious meal. Two partnering organizations, Loads of Love and Canadian Food for Children, who both have warehouses in Chatham, distribute millions of servings on our behalf each year to Ukraine, Africa and Central America. The partnerships with volunteers, donors, produce donors and distributors is allowing the initial vision to be realized.

There is more to do. After a few years of modest declines in global hunger, there has been a sharp increase over the past few years. Through rising inflation, war, and poverty the problem is getting worse instead of better. The SWO Gleaners believe that dehydration is the leading way in getting the abundance here in North America to areas of the world not as fortunate.