Central Lakes College has made notable strides in local food security initiatives, distributing over 58,000 pounds of surplus food this school year. This August, Central Lakes Community College was one of five community colleges that were awarded FRN grants as part of the organization's inaugural cohort of Community College chapters.
We're thrilled to share that Food Recovery Network’s Executive Director, Regina Harmon, was recently featured on Unite to Fight Poverty’s Fight Club! Podcast hosted by Elizabeth Swindell! In this episode, Regina discusses the work FRN is doing to combat food insecurity, including our initiatives like free produce distribution markets, community refrigerators, and our community college grants program.
In times of uncertainty, it’s important to remember we do have control. There are always small actions we can take to enact change, even when so much around us feels overwhelming. Right now, many of us who are committed to transforming our food systems (for the better) are feeling the effects of the chaos, but the truth is: We can still take action even when we may feel a little stuck in the mud.
Central Lakes College has made notable strides in local food security initiatives, distributing over 58,000 pounds of surplus food this school year. This August, Central Lakes Community College was one of five community colleges that were awarded FRN grants as part of the organization's inaugural cohort of Community College chapters.
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Food Recovery Network (FRN) announces significant achievements in its efforts to combat food insecurity in the Washington, D.C. area. Through a partnership with the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center, FRN has successfully saved 67,853 pounds of food in just two years to support local organizations fighting hunger.
Food Recovery Network volunteer with packed surplus food ready to deliver to hunger-fighting community partner.
"Our partnership with Gaylord National Resort has been transformative. In just two years, we've recovered over 67,000 pounds of surplus food. We've been able to work with 8 area hunger-fighting nonprofits - which means those pounds of precious food have provided the equivalent of over 56,000 meals for people in our community experiencing hunger," said Regina Harmon, Executive Director. "This collaboration demonstrates the power of partnerships to create meaningful, sustainable change for communities."
The positive impact extends beyond the number of meals provided. The recovered food has also resulted in significant environmental benefits. FRN's work has helped save 7.81 million gallons of water—equivalent to 12 Olympic-sized swimming pools—and mitigated nearly 43.76 metric tons of CO2 emissions, comparable to removing ten passenger vehicles from the road for a year. This success underscores the power of collaboration in addressing both hunger and environmental sustainability.
FRN and Gaylord National began their official partnership in June of 2023. Since then, FRN's team has picked up surplus food from Gaylord National every other week. On average, over two weeks, Gaylord's culinary team saves about 1,200 pounds of perfectly good food, simply prepared in excess, from all of the meetings and events held in their conference and resort center. This is enough food to allow FRN to support multiple agencies in the extended community every time we receive a donation.
FRN is the largest student-led organization in the U.S. dedicated to recovering surplus food and ending hunger. With over 200 chapters nationwide, FRN has three active university chapters in Washington, D.C.: American University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University. Together, for more than 10 years, these chapters have successfully redirected an impressive additional 20,000 pounds of surplus food to fight food insecurity in the area.
This impactful work aligns perfectly with several upcoming awareness dates: March 30th (Day of Zero Waste), April 7-13th (Food Waste Prevention Week), April 22nd (Earth Day), and April 30th (Stop Food Waste Day). These dates highlight the importance of our collective efforts to reduce food waste and FRN's commitment to shaping a future where food is not wasted and all people have access to nutritious food. FRN's achievements demonstrate the tangible results possible through partnerships and community engagement.
Visit foodrecoverynetwork.org to learn more about this D.C.-based nonprofit.
To join us for a food recovery or interview Regina Harmon, Executive Director, please contact us at sarah.corbin@foodrecoverynetwork.org, 708-714-1357.
Food Recovery Network (FRN) is a national nonprofit that mobilizes 8,000 college students, food providers, and local businesses in the fight against climate change and hunger by recovering perishable food across the supply chain that would otherwise go to waste and donating it to organizations that feed people experiencing hunger. As the largest student-led movement recovering surplus food and ending hunger, FRN's programs are on nearly 200 college campuses and 100 food businesses in 46 states and D.C., and they have recovered more than 22.9 million pounds of food to date – the equivalent of 19 million meals donated to feed individuals experiencing hunger and 7419.5 metric tons of CO2e prevented from entering our atmosphere.
SOURCE Food Recovery Network, Inc.
We're thrilled to share that Food Recovery Network’s Executive Director, Regina Harmon, was recently featured on Unite to Fight Poverty’s Fight Club! Podcast hosted by Elizabeth Swindell! In this episode, Regina discusses the work FRN is doing to combat food insecurity, including our initiatives like free produce distribution markets, community refrigerators, and our community college grants program.
In times of uncertainty, it’s important to remember we do have control. There are always small actions we can take to enact change, even when so much around us feels overwhelming. Right now, many of us who are committed to transforming our food systems (for the better) are feeling the effects of the chaos, but the truth is: We can still take action even when we may feel a little stuck in the mud.
Food Recovery Network Opens Applications for Second Community College Food Recovery Grant Cohort
Washington, D.C. — Food Recovery Network (FRN) is excited to announce the opening of applications for the second year of its Community College Food Recovery Grant Program. This initiative aims to establish and strengthen food recovery programs at community colleges across the United States, helping to combat food waste while supporting people experiencing hunger within local communities.
Community colleges play a crucial role in addressing food insecurity in their areas and serve as essential hubs for food recovery efforts. The five Community Colleges participating in FRN’s inaugural 2024 cohort recovered more than 100,000 pounds of food—the equivalent of 83,000 meals.
This year, FRN will award grants to an additional five deserving community colleges, which will also receive recognition for their innovative contributions to this critical cause. The selected institutions will receive one year of technical and financial assistance to implement robust food recovery programs, starting in Summer/Fall 2025.
“The expansion of our Community College Food Recovery Grant Program reflects our commitment to harnessing the potential of community colleges in the fight against hunger,” said Regina Harmon, Executive Director at FRN. “We believe in the existing critical relationship community colleges serve all across the U.S. We believe that by providing resources and support, these institutions can effectively connect surplus food with community members facing food insecurity, feeding more people faster.”
Community colleges are encouraged to apply for the grant.
Applications must be submitted by April 30, 2025, at midnight ET. Recipients will be notified by May 31, 2025. Financial assistance will be determined based on the proposed scale and frequency of each school’s food waste prevention program.
For additional details about the grant program and application process, please visit www.foodrecovery.org/community-college-food-recovery-grant or contact programs@foodrecoverynetwork.org.
