AmeriCorps Week 2018

This week, March 12-16, is AmeriCorps VISTA week. FRN is honored to partner with such an incredible organization working to alleviate poverty in its many forms. To celebrate this week, Sam Yates talked with some of the other VISTAs who work at FRN.

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My name is Sam Yates, and I am the Research and Outreach VISTA at FRN. My primary job involves creating an intentional outreach program to expand to more college and university campuses, to supplement the organic growth  FRN has experienced up to this point. I also support with planning fundraisers, guiding Chapters in Progress (CHIPs) and Official Chapters in their challenges, and general office operations. I love my job because I work with amazing colleagues every day to support students who fight food waste and feed.

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I decided that I wanted to be an AmeriCorps VISTA when I was a sophomore in college. Investing time and energy in my community has always been an important part of my life and serving through AmeriCorps has allowed me to be engaged beyond my undergraduate years. I am very grateful to VISTA for the professional development I have gained through this experience; I have learned about how the nonprofit sector functions, collaborated in an office environment, planned fundraising events, and so much more. Perhaps more important, I have grown personally and deepened my knowledge about food sustainability, the careers that I would be interested in, and what strengths I bring to the table when problem-solving.

There are several other amazing VISTAs at FRN who I have the pleasure of working with every day. We asked them a couple of questions so you can hear why we all love being VISTAs.

What have you gained from this experience?

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Sarah Diamond: Being a VISTA has greatly improved my leadership skills and experience. I have managed the creation of the first-ever Student and Alumni Advisory Board, which was created in response to students’ requests to be even more involved with the long-term strategic plan of Food Recovery Network as an organization. I have also had extensive professional development experiences including attending conferences and speaking on panels. This VISTA year has been incredibly beneficial, and I feel so confident about continuing into my professional career with this as my foundation.

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Robert Hopp: I have gained valuable knowledge and skills related to working in a professional environment such as new technological programs and workplace communication strategies. This experience will translate well to my next job and as time goes on, my career. I have also gained a network of friends that are passionate about what they do and who enjoy helping people.

 

 

Why did you choose to pursue a VISTA year?

SD: I chose to pursue a VISTA year with FRN because I worked with FRN during all four years of undergrad. The mission of this organization is so important to me, and so important to the hundreds of other chapter leaders across the country. I wanted to stay involved with FRN after graduation, and I wanted to help other graduating student leaders and alumni stay involved as well. I accepted a position as the Alumni Programs VISTA so that I could work on these passions and help keep young people involved with FRN’s mission.

RH: I chose to pursue a VISTA year in order to work on food related issues while gaining valuable experience. I knew that FRN and VISTA would give me the opportunity to do that. There is also the knowledge that the work I am doing is helping people in need that motivated me.

What is your favorite part of your job as a VISTA?

SD: My favorite part of my job as a VISTA is getting to work so closely with our students on the ground. We work with more than 230 chapters all over the country, and being able to help them through the process of finding partner agencies, navigating their first few recoveries, and witnessing their passion for this work makes coming in to work every day so exciting. Food Recovery Network National is located right outside of Washington, D.C., where incredible networking opportunities in the fields of food, policy, and environment exist all the time, so my professional development here as a VISTA has been amazing.

RH:
My favorite part of my job as a VISTA is watching the progress that this organization makes. Every pound of food that we recover, every chapter that we approve, and every person that shares our story on social media makes me feel proud to work here. And because of VISTA's mission of capacity building, I know that this progress will continue into the future.


If you would like to learn more about becoming a VISTA at FRN, please email careers@foodrecoverynetwork.org

#FRNSpeaks: Zeel Vora, University of Houston

Every FRN student leader has something that inspires them to fight waste and feed people. Sometimes, it’s a passion to feed their community or a personal connection to serving those around them. Zeel Vora, president of the University of Houston chapter, is no exception. Zeel is also a Regional Outreach Coordinator and will be hosting a summit in Houston, TX. Want connect with Zeel about her story or summit? Email us at programs@foodrecoverynetwork.org and we’ll get you connected! Read below to hear Zeel’s inspiring story about her passion for FRN:

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Hi fellow FRNds! I’m Zeel, like banana peel with a “Z”, from the University of Houston! I’m currently pursuing a degree in Public Health with a minor in Biology, and (hopefully) graduating in May 2018. I am taking a year off after graduation to work and “adult” for a little while, and then applying to law school! In the past few years, outside of FRN, I’ve been involved in Student Government, my University’s Housing department, and volunteering at Houston’s animal shelter and children’s hospital!

My mom passed away six weeks into my first year of college. For a long time, I was lost and didn’t know how to cope. I had never dealt with loss before and I had lost my motivation completely. On February 6, 2015, my friend Yash asked me if I would drive him to Panera Bread to do a recovery (one of the first official recoveries by UHouston’s FRN chapter!). I agreed, not caring too much about the organization but more because I was doing a favor for a friend. When we arrived at the donation site to drop off about 100lbs of bread and pastries, I noticed a woman holding a baby with a young child by her side. The child came up to me and asked me if he could have a cookie, and was elated when I let him choose between chocolate chip and M&M.

I realized then that we were at an 24/7 emergency shelter for women to come with their children if they need to escape a dangerous situation. This young child had probably witnessed things far more horrible than I could imagine, yet it only took a cookie to bring a smile on his face, and I was hooked. On the drive back to campus, I asked Yash if he was looking to bring in more officers, and the rest is history. FRN became a sort of escape for me, as I was doing something that not only helped others, but helped me feel proud of myself again. I knew that my mom would have been proud of me too.

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I learned more and more about the historically underserved community my university is located in, and about the implications of food waste. FRN quickly became a cause I dedicated all of my time to. Two years later, time came for Yash to graduate and for someone new to become president of the chapter. FRN had already taught me so much about what it meant to be a student leader, and I decided that there was nothing I wanted more than to spend my senior year leading the wonderful group of people that currently make up the UH chapter. I ran for president, luckily uncontested, and while it has been busy and stressful at times, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Sodexo Stop Hunger's Annual Initiative to Reduce Waste: WasteLESS Week

 

Sodexo, food services, and facilities management company, was one of the first funders of Food Recovery Network. As a company, it valued our mission to fight waste and feed people and has continued to support FRN in a multitude of ways for the past six years. Sodexo’s support is crucial and fitting, since it is a major dining provider to colleges and universities throughout the United States, and fighting food waste aligns with its goals.

Every October, Sodexo organizes a WasteLESS Week. This annual campaign “empowers consumers, clients and Sodexo employees to reduce waste by celebrating the benefits of wasting less food, water, energy, paper and raw materials,” according to its website.

As a part of this year’s WasteLESS Week and in recognition of Sodexo’s commitment to Stop Hunger, Sodexo collaborated with FRN to promote the Food Recovery Verified program. Together, we ran a campaign to verify as many Sodexo locations as possible by offering a discounted verification rate. During a single week, we were able to verify 12 new Sodexo locations in 10 states.

WasteLESS Week is a  celebration of environmentally responsible behavior. Throughout the week, Sodexo thanks its consumers, clients, and employees for all of the efforts they take on a daily basis to reduce waste. FRV is a third-party verification program that recognizes food businesses for preventing unnecessary food waste by redirecting leftovers from landfills to nonprofits. The type of recognition that FRV provides goes hand-in-hand with the goals of WasteLESS Week.

 

During FRN's March Madness Sale (March 19-30), all Sodexo locations qualify for an additional 10% discount on Food Recovery Verification.

Email foodrecoveryverified@foodrecoverynetwork.org for more details. 

 

FRN is happy to welcome the following accounts to our network! 

Thank you for all that you do to recover and donate your surplus edible food. By becoming Food Recovery Verified, your business is reducing food waste and feeding your community.  

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#FRNSpeaks: Arynne Wegryn-Jones, University of Michigan

Exploring Farm to Institution Dining at the University of Michigan

Arynne Wegryn-Jones is a member of Food Recovery Network at the University of Michigan, where more than 23,000 pounds of food have been recovered since 2012. Are you interested in telling your unique #FRNSpeaks story? Want to get in touch with Arynne and the University of Michigan chapter? Reach out to programs@foodrecoverynetwork.org and we'd be happy to connect you. 

If you’ve ever been to a farmers market, the first thing you might notice is a sense of connection between the products and the people there. You might see how eager each farmer is to talk to you about what they’re selling, because most of the time they grew it or made it themselves. If you’ve ever eaten a vegetable that was harvested that day, or bitten into an apple that came from the orchard down the street, you might notice how much better it tastes. This taste is not just physical. An entirely new eating experience comes from knowing the food is not only good for you, but good for the person you bought it from and good for the environment in which it grew. This is something I came to understand over the course of my first semester as a student at the University of Michigan and a member of the Food Recovery Network (FRN).

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I joined FRN early in the fall of my first year at the U of M. I was inspired by its mission to fight an issue I had never thought much about myself: the outrageous and unnecessary level of food waste in this country and the amount of people who are still going hungry despite it. The knowledge I have gained from FRN regarding this absurd gap, and the experience I have gained in fighting it by volunteering, has inspired me to take on a greater role in the food system we have on campus.

This past fall I had the honor of being enrolled in a course called “The Future of Food at the University of Michigan,” taught by Professor Lisa Young. The course looked at the past, present, and future of the food system here at the University of Michigan and what it is doing to become more sustainable. Students in the course examined various aspects of the U of M food system in order to collaboratively imagine and discuss ways to address the challenges associated with a sustainable food system.

As an honors student (and a newly-inspired food system fanatic), I chose to complete an additional research project that delved deeper into what we were learning in class. I decided to examine the food system at an institution known for being one of the leaders in the nation for sustainable food sourcing, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and compare their model to that of MDining at U of M. With the help of Professor Young, I arranged an interview with the recently retired Chef de Cuisine of MDining, Nelson “Buzz” Cummings, to talk about the history of the locally-sourced food system at U of M.

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Through my research, I learned that “sustainable” and “local”, though intimately related, are two different ways to think about food. Chef Buzz told a story about taking students on a trip to Lesser Farms in Dexter, MI to pick apples and make the connection to where the food in the dining halls was grown. He described how he valued fresh, local produce and the relationships they build with the farmers in sourcing it, compared to conventionally grown and mass-distributed products. I learned about the challenges U of M has faced with switching to doing business with small-scale local producers and how they have had to make compromises to meet both the needs of the farmers and the needs of U of M. By controlling portion sizes, implementing trayless dining, composting whatever they can’t recover, U of M has made strides to reduce their level of food waste as an institution.

Although MDining is unique in the way it sources local food, it is not alone in trying to make the institution more sustainable and less wasteful. UMass Amherst has adopted a goal of sourcing 50% local food by the year 2060, which is comparable to U of M’s more modest goal of 20% sustainably sourced food by 2025. UMass has made enormous progress toward its goal and described the plan in its publication Making Local, Healthy, Sustainable Delicious; The How-To Guide for Foodservice Operators. Schools across the nation are recognizing the health and educational benefits of local food sourcing.

It all comes back to what local sourcing means for our food system. When you go to the farmers market and buy a bushel of greens or a carton of eggs, you’re supporting your health by eating fresh organic products. You’re also supporting the health of your local economy by keeping funds in the community and creating jobs. Most importantly, you’re supporting the health of the environment by discouraging large-scale production that increases carbon emissions. Large-scale institutions like the Universities of Massachusetts and Michigan are uniquely able to lead the transformation to a sustainable and less wasteful food system through opportunities to educate students. Through this course and my involvement with FRN, I learned that waste is a problem not just for food, but for resources of every kind. I am optimistic, however, that the future of food is a good one if we at FRN continue to work together to reduce, and educate on food waste, and if our community continues to demand local, healthy, sustainable foods. My advice for you is this: give often, waste little, eat local, and GO BLUE!

 

Five Films on Food Waste and Hunger That You Should Be Watching

Searching for good documentaries can be overwhelming. The abundance of options can lead to you perusing Netflix for hours, fruitlessly debating which film to actually watch. Luckily, we’ve combed the internet for you and created a list of five food-related documentaries we think are worth your time, based on online reviews. Whether you’re a foodie looking to learn more about food production, a student seeking to reduce food waste on campus, or a Food Recovery Network supporter, these films — which discuss food waste, food insecurity, and food production — are bound to contribute to your knowledge base. So grab some (sustainably-produced) popcorn and start watching!

1. “Wasted!”  

Directed by Anna Chai and Nari Kye and released in October 2018, “Wasted!” seeks to "change the way people buy cook, recycle, and eat food,” according to the film’s website.

The film shows how chefs repurpose food that would otherwise be thrown out to create delicious dishes. Once you learn how our current practices surrounding food production and food waste contribute to climate change, you’re bound to be inspired to adopt more sustainable practices. “Wasted!” is “surprisingly appetizing and funny...for a movie that harangues us for throwing out edible food,” according to a Rotten Tomatoes review. It is available for rent on Amazon.

2. “A Place at the Table” 

This documentary, directed by Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush, focuses on the plights of three food-insecure Americans. It walks you through their days and emphasizes struggles they face during mealtimes. According to the film, one out of every two American kids will be on food assistance at some point, and about 50 million Americans rely on charitable food programs. “A Place at the Table” highlights that issues caused by hunger can be alleviated if Americans recognize that ending hunger should be a priority. The film, which is available for rent on Amazon, is “a shocking indictment of how people are starving in the land of plenty,” according to a Rotten Tomatoes review.

3. “How to Feed the World” 

Looking for a short film that sums up many of the problems relating to food access and food insecurity that we are currently facing? “How to Feed the World,” directed by Denis van Waerebeke, should be on your list. The 10-minute film, which was originally created for viewers between ages nine and 14 and can be viewed for free on Vimeo, uses colorful graphics to explain how globalization and trade influence which foods are available in different regions of the globe. Though distributing food to malnourished people in poorer countries may help temporarily, this act can actually cause more harm to local economies,  perpetuating further problems, the film argues. “How to Feed the World” urges members of Earth to work together to eat more sustainably to create a lasting solution. It recommends for individuals to make a difference by eating more plant-based products.

4. “Taste the Waste”  

Are you having a hard time picturing how much food goes to waste? “Taste the Waste,” directed by Valentin Thurn, will provide you with a more complete understanding of the quantity of food being thrown away, much of which is still edible. 90 million tons of food are thrown away in the European Union per year, including 3 million tons of bread, according to the film. The camera pans over dumpsters filled with “old” bakery items and trucks bursting with “insufficient” vegetables. It describes how technology is used to discard tomatoes solely based on their colors, and explains how “the food thrown away in Europe and North America would be enough to feed all hungry people in the world three times over.” “Taste the Waste,” which you can watch on YouTube, is a testament to how much good food is actually being wasted, and perhaps inspiration to be more mindful before discarding “bad” food.

5. “Just Eat It” 

What do you get when two filmmakers, Jen Rustemeyer and Grant Baldwin, realize the consequences of food waste? A documentary that details our “systematic obsession with expiry dates, perfect produce, and portion sizes,” according to the film’s website. “Just Eat It” tracks Rustemeyer and Baldwin’s lives as they survive off foods that were designated for the trash. This film, which is funny and entertaining in addition to being an “eye-opener,” according to reviews, will likely make you reconsider how you examine produce in the grocery store. “Just Eat It” is available for rent on Amazon and YouTube. Additionally, Rustemeyer was the keynote speaker at FRN’s National Food Recovery Dialogue – another reason to watch this incredible film!

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