Today we’d like to introduce you to Vineet Kaur.
Vineet, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Fruitfully Yours started in Aug 2017 as a result of my son and I observing fruit waste in the community, year after year, that one could not turn a blind eye to anymore. My son, Mihir Anand, who was a freshman at Glendora High School at that time, also learned about food insecurity in California and together we decided to change the status quo. We made it our mission to bring the community together to rescue unharvested fruit and then donate it to local food banks that would distribute it to the food insecure.
We grew the organization from just an idea and spread awareness about its mission by networking with local city governments and community organizations, engaging with the local schools and students, by participating at community events and through word of mouth.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Quite frankly, the kind of response that we got from the community and continue to get has been overwhelming. It seemed that the service we were providing was long overdue and people were eager to join forces with us, either to volunteer or donate fruit. We have never had a shortage of volunteers or fruit donors. The only challenge we sometimes run into is being inundated with too many fruit donors during the citrus season which we overcome by scheduling extra picks, etc.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Professionally, I manage IT projects of all sizes, for an audio-visual company in Southern California. I pride myself for my emotional intelligence, people skills, and my exceptional ability in managing people and projects. These are the very skills that set me apart.
Besides this, it makes me very happy and proud to see how Fruitfully Yours has grown from just an idea, the social impact that we have made and continue to make in the community, the goodwill that we have garnered, and the people that we have inspired and brought together via our mission.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
There are several resources, including people that inspire me and help me to do the best in life. The lives of Martin Luther King and the Dalai Lama and quotes that are attributed to them help me do my best, by seeing them lead exemplary lives. Books by Simon Sinek and Oprah are inspiring, too. I also find Trevor Noah inspirational and loved his book, ‘Born a Crime’. Besides these, I love reading books on the Blue Zones by Dan Buettner or listening to podcasts on subjects of health and fitness, self-improvement, autobiographies, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fruitfullyyours.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/fruitfullyyoursnp
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/fruitfullyyoursnp
Image Credits
Fruitfully Yours
