World Food Day is Tuesday, October 16 — a day to recognize hunger in the world. More than 40 million Americans are food insecure including 12 million children. In Connecticut, the overall food insecurity rate is 12.2 percent including one in six children statewide. While those numbers are staggering, the amount of food waste in the U.S. is also a serious crisis with 40 percent of the American food supply being wasted each year — enough to feed all the food insecure people in our country.
But, there is something being done about this issue. In fact, there’s an App for that. Food Rescue US, headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, has created an app that wherever you are – and however much time you have – the app lets you play a critical role in rescuing and delivering meals. Wherever you are, you’re in the right place to help end hunger and reduce food waste.
It is the goal of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to end world hunger by 2030. There are 7.7 billion people in the world today and 820 million people suffer chronic undernourishment — but there is enough food for everyone. With Tuesday, October 16, being World Food Day, Food Rescue US is encouraging everyone to download its app and start helping. If you are a restaurant, grocery or other food provider, you can list surplus food that you want to donate. If you are a volunteer with a vehicle, you can check the app for a complete schedule of food rescues in your area and choose deliveries that work for you. If you are an agency such as a community kitchen or food pantry and are in need of food, post your needs and find food to match them. It’s simple and it all starts here.
The Food Rescue US app is available for free to download on the iTunes App Store or on Google Play.
“By using a simple app, technology empowers our communities to reduce food waste and food hunger through direct-transfer which takes volunteers as little as 30 minutes of their time to complete,” said Nicole Straight, Fairfield County site director with Food Rescue US. “You’d be surprised how taking just a little time to give a little service can help so many people. Choosing to take one small action of giving service really does make a very big difference.”
Nicole has been with Food Rescue US for two years. She is originally from California and became interested in Food Rescue US when she was a professional chef and noticed how much food was being wasted at events. She started helping out as a volunteer runner for four years and then came on board full-time to become the site director for Fairfield County, Connecticut, where the organization is headquartered. Today, there are more than 650 volunteers in Fairfield County working to end local hunger and food waste and 80 donors. Large retail chains such as Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Kings and smaller local restaurants and business cafeterias have been proactive in doing their part to ensure healthy would-be wasted food is picked up from their site and given to a local hunger relief organization that feeds hungry people.
“It is wonderful to see these bridges being built in communities that help the planet and help their neighbors,” noted Nicole Straight. “Using the app and helping out would be a great community service project for schools and church groups, weekly food shoppers or retirees. Our food rescuers are ambassadors fighting against food waste and food insecurity.”
“The charities are so grateful for the crates of fresh berries, pineapple and melon that they receive at lunch time,” said Luke Blaine, age 17, a senior at Greenwich High School, who does the store pick-ups. “It is so simple to pull up to the back of the store, load up the car with fresh food, and donate it to those who might not otherwise have a way to feed themselves.”
“I’m so proud of Luke for working with Food Rescue US” said Luke’s Mom Danielle Blaine. “Once you have seen for yourself the healthy fresh foods that would have been thrown out, you are hooked into being a part of an effort that will rescue that food and give it to an agency that can distribute it to those in need. It’s also a really easy and very fulfilling task. You feel like you are making a difference and children are learning the importance of not wasting food.”
Anthony Bourdain’s documentary Wasted shined a light on the 58 billion pounds of food waste that is thrown away each year. This wasted food is the single largest component of landfill. Decomposing food in landfills produce harmful methane gas which accounts for nearly 25% of man-made global warming. Food waste reduction is one of the top three ways to reverse the effects of climate change, according to Project Drawdown.
Since 2011 Food Rescue has saved over 40 million pounds of viable food and delivered over 27 million healthy meals to food insecure Americans.
Be a part of the food for revolution #zerohunger.
About Food Rescue US
Food Rescue US is a simple solution to ending local hunger. Food Rescue US is a technology-based, volunteer-driven, direct-transfer platform that is simple, sustainable and replicable. Volunteer food rescuers across the country deliver fresh food from businesses that have too much to people who have too little. Food Rescue US is the only organization in food rescue operating with this unique model. Food Rescue US is committed to ending American food insecurity by engaging volunteers to transfer fresh, usable, excess food from grocers, restaurants, and other sources to hungry families throughout the US. To download the Food Rescue US app, visit the iTunes App Store or Google Play. To learn more about Food Rescue US, visit foodrescue.us or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @FoodRescueUS.
Photo Captions: Luke Blaine delivering food with Food Rescue US.
Whole Foods employee helping load Luke's car with fresh produce to be delivered to Kids in Crisis through Food Rescue US.