Giving Back While Moving Out

When students move out of their residence halls for the summer, they tend to leave behind a lot of things, and that includes perfectly good food. As students rush out of their dorms, excited to finally be finished with a busy Spring semester, they might forget about the huge box of granola bars buried in the back of their cabinet or the giant jar of peanut butter they never opened. Unfortunately, when this happens, that food is thrown away as residential life services clean out the dorms. This perfectly good food is left to rot in a landfill, emitting methane gas rather than feeding hungry people in the community. Luckily, there are organizations working with Food Recovery Network (FRN) to ensure that this food never goes to waste.

You can see the excitement from the University of Delaware chapter as they collected more than 780 pounds of food in 2019.

Move for Hunger (MFH), an organization founded in 2009 that works with moving companies all around the United States to collect food to donate as people move out of their homes, is one of those organizations. Since their founding, they have recovered more than 16 million pounds of food. Last year, FRN had the pleasure of partnering with MFH for our third annual Move Out For Hunger event, expanding the model that MFH has built to college campuses around the United States.

Since 2017, FRN and MFH have worked together to ensure FRN chapters collect non-perishable foods from students as they move out of their residence halls. Our FRN chapters provide the people power to raise awareness for the event and collect food donations, while MFH leverages their partnerships with moving companies to provide the transportation needed to deliver the food to hunger-fighting nonprofit organizations.

The entire MOFH team at Olivet Nazarene University huddles up as they collected more than 980 pounds of food!

As the Food Recovery Verified VISTA, I had the pleasure of planning MOFH in Spring 2019, where nine FRN chapters hosted MOFH events on their campuses: Brandeis University, Goucher College, Knox College, Lawrence University, Olivet Nazarene University, University of Delaware, University of New Mexico, University of Texas at Dallas, and West Virginia University. All of the students who participated saw the direct impact of their work as the piles of surplus food grew. Thanks to the hard work of our student leaders, the truck drivers, MFH, and FRN staff, 4,164 pounds of food was recovered and delivered to those who need it the most. This event was a huge success and we couldn’t be more grateful for the hard work of everyone involved.

I joined our Goucher College chapter to recover almost 100 pounds of food.

We are especially grateful to our chapter at Goucher College. Not only did they host a successful event, but they were also kind enough to invite me and Cassie Olovsson, our Manager of External Partnerships, to join them. We were so proud to see the passion of our Goucher student leaders, as they worked hard to make this event a success. Originally, there was a fear that the chapter would not have the materials they needed to collect food from students around campus because food collection boxes were in short supply. But thanks to the resourcefulness of their volunteers, our Goucher College chapter was able to gather boxes from local grocery stores, who generously donated them so that the chapter could collect the food donations. The Goucher chapter recovered almost 100 pounds of food and thanks to our partners at MFH, the food was delivered to the Maryland Food Bank in Baltimore.

We want to thank Move for Hunger for their hard work ensuring that the food donations that our FRN chapters collected were delivered to nonprofit organizations in their communities. We would also like to thank Clif Bar, who were generous enough to supply hundreds of Clif Bars to our students to hand out to people as an incentive to donate their food. We look forward to hosting another successful Move Out for Hunger event in 2020. We have 30 chapters committed to hosting this event in 2020 so it is sure to be an even greater success this year! If you are a company that is interested in getting involved and learning more about how you can sponsor the event, don’t hesitate to email us at info@foodrecoverynetwork.org.

6 Apps for Reducing Food Waste

School’s out for summer, but that doesn’t mean the food waste reduction has to stop! Surplus food apps have blown up recently, and we want to share some of the best ones on the market with you. Technology for reducing food waste seems very promising at the moment, from innovations like commercial waste-tracking systems such as Winnow to fridge accessories that tell you when your food is going bad. But, the following (free) smartphone apps really put the power of reducing food waste in your hands and can save you a bunch of money too. The specific idea for each app varies within the larger genre, from alerting you of reduced pricing of local supermarket food that’s nearing its sell-by date, to cheaper restaurant meals near you, to food sharing and swapping opportunities with your neighbors.

Eco-friendly and budget-friendly

Food For All - “Great food should be tasted, not wasted.”

Food For All is an app that shows you restaurant and cafe food in your area that is at least 50% below the usual price. It’s half the price because the meals on the app are surplus food that these businesses are unlikely to sell before closing, which would usually result in them throwing out those wasted meals. This is a great solution for the business, the consumer, and the environment, since the seller can still get revenue, you save money on tasty food, and less perfectly good food goes in the garbage. You can simply choose your meal, pay through the app and then pick it up in the given time-window, which is usually within an hour before the food business closes. Their mission is to increase access to quality, convenient food and reduce the negative impacts of food waste on our planet. They are currently making this mission are reality in Boston and New York City.

OLIO - “The food sharing revolution.”

OLIO, a FRNd of Food Recovery Network, is a “hyperlocal” food-sharing app that connects neighbors so they can swap and share their unwanted or excess food, therefore reducing waste and strengthening community. You simply scroll through the photo listings of FREE (yes, everything is free) food in you area and then arrange your pickup via direct message. OLIO also has an initiative for businesses called “Food Waste Heroes Programme”, through which volunteers collect surplus food from restaurants, for example, and post them on the app to add to the local pool of products available. The app is being used by over a million people in 49 different countries so far, including the United States.

YourLocal - “Save Money. Save Food. Save our Planet.”

YourLocal partners with neighborhood stores and restaurants so that you can get their surplus food for up to 70% off. Again, you choose your items, pay via the app, and then pick up during the time-window they specify. The app focuses on supporting the local economy as well as helping the environment, and you can even earn Impact Coins that add up to free meals by referring friends to YourLocal. The app has taken off in Denmark, where it originated, but they are also operating in New York City and are working on expanding further. 

Flashfood - “The conscious way of grocery shopping”

Flashfood is a supermarket food app that displays products nearing their sell-by date/with low shelf life, saving you up to 50% off groceries and sparing you the time it takes to search for bargains yourself. You can pay on the app and then collect your items from the Flashfood stand in the supermarket. Flashfood’s stands are primarily in Canada, but lucky customers around Madison, Wisconsin can utilise the service too.

GoMkt - “Eat your conscience :)”

GoMkt is another app that connects consumers with area restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops with the aim of promoting local businesses, providing more affordable food, and protecting the environment. By shopping through GoMkt, you can get push notifications when there’s surplus food near you, purchase it in-app and save up to 75% off the original price. It recently launched in New York City, and we look forward to seeing it in other locations in the future.

Gebni - “Smart Food Delivery”

Gebni is a price-conscious, waste-conscious food delivery app that uses “smart pricing” to get you cheaper takeouts during times of lower demand for that meal. Using their algorithm, they can boost off-peak business and reduce the amount of food thrown out by restaurants all while saving you money. You can use their in-app chat feature if you have any questions, order days in advance to make sure you get that meal deal you have your eye on, purchase within the app, and have the food delivered or ready for pickup. They’re currently partnered with lots of restaurants, including big names like Bareburger and Al Horno, in New York City.

Download and Dig In

We’ve covered the six most popular apps in the US, but there’s so much food waste reduction going on internationally as well. This genre of app is particularly popular in Europe (other examples include Too Good to Go, Karma, and Savery) so, if you happen to travel abroad this summer, be sure to check out what local food you can rescue there too. We, at FRN, are so excited about anti-waste technology; we look forward to a day when food recovery is the norm and our meals are all as affordable, convenient, community-driven, and sustainable as these creative apps are trying to make it. Now you know these apps are out there, try browsing in your area next time you’re hungry - remember, although the availability of these new tools is great, the food will still be wasted unless people actually go and get it!

Utah State Blue Goes Green

“Gleaning is simply the act of collecting excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, farmers markets, grocers, restaurants, state/county fairs, or any other sources in order to provide it to those in need.” -USDA Gleaning Toolkit

In the Logan, Utah area, there are a variety of apple, pear, plum, and apricot trees that go unpicked each season. The fruit falls as it becomes too ripe creating heaps of wasted fruit. Instead of allowing this fruit to literally rot on the vine, a group of students and I wanted to start a gleaning team that would pick the excess fruit.

As the Director of Food Recovery Network at Utah State University (USU), I researched gleaning projects across the country to understand how to begin one of my own. I was determined to implement a gleaning initiative at Utah State, and was hopeful in gaining funds to support this project. I reached out to the Food Recovery Network National Office to inquire about the FRN Gleaning Guide. I also looked into the USU Blue Goes Green (BGG) Grant program to acquire funding. 

The BGG program allows students at Utah State University to apply for grant money to fund  sustainability projects that benefit students and reduce carbon emissions at our university. The BGG grant is required to address one of the Student Sustainability Grant focus areas: Waste Reduction, Sustainable Food Systems & Food Justice, Conservation & Renewable Energy, Air Quality, Reduced Carbon Footprint, Water Conservation, Green Building. Social & Economic Dimensions of Sustainability. This gleaning project fit perfectly into the Sustainable Food Systems category. It would provide opportunities for USU students to participate in the sustainability efforts on campus and it would educate students and faculty about food systems and food justice.

I applied for a BGG grant to purchase materials so we could begin gleaning this summer and continue into the fall. I had participated in gleanings before, so I knew what materials we would need, including: fruit pickers to retrieve fruit which grows near the top of trees, stackable crates to transport the fruit, and marketing materials to promote this project to tree owners and student volunteers.

First and foremost, my advisor, Brhianna, and I calculated the amount of materials we would need to accomplish the gleaning in the Cache Valley, near USU’s campus. We began with our budget spreadsheet, creating an outline of funds we would need. We determined the need for 4 apple pickers, 12 stackable crates, and marketing materials. After creating the budget spreadsheet, Brhianna and I began writing the proposal, which outlined the projects needs, description, outcomes, and who would participate and support this project. A few weeks after submitting the proposal and budget, we heard back from the BGG grant committee and were informed the Gleaning Grant was accepted and could be fully funded. Our vision is for the gleaning project to begin on August 24, 2019, and continue until the end of October, when fruit picking season ends. We plan to distribute ⅓ of the fruit to the tree owner, ⅓ to local food pantries, and ⅓ to the volunteers. To determine the impacts of the gleaning efforts, we plan on weighing the amount of fruit we pick each week and tracking the number of volunteers who attend each event. 

By providing an opportunity for students to pick fruit and engage with community members, they will gain a greater knowledge of the food waste problem and how university programs are combating this issue. It will be of great service to the community and an opportunity for students to gain fruit-picking experience. I look forward to beginning this gleaning project this fall and reducing food waste and feeding people!

Regional Summits: Bringing the Network Together

Programs Manager, Hc, Research & Outreach VISTA, Heather Banikas, by the “open trench.”

We (hc + Heather) are standing on the side of a wide road, not entirely sure where to go next. We flew across the country, from College Park, Maryland to Los Angeles, California. We drove 90 minutes east of the city to Claremont and parked the car beside an “open trench”. The instructions from Nicole, the Los Angeles County Regional Outreach Coordinator (ROC), tell us to find a gate which will set us on a path to the Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability. We see the gate on the other side of the street; we wait for a gap in the cars before scampering across the five lanes of traffic. Standing at the gate, we look at each other and push it open. It’s the last Saturday of April, and we’re headed towards the fifth and final 2019 Regional Summit. We know what to expect because we’ve seen the agenda, but we aren’t sure what exactly will happen once the attendees arrive, the ideas start flowing, and the action items get laid out. 

Let’s start a few months back. 

Minnesota Regional Summit attendees.

For those who are unfamiliar, let us take a few moments to talk about what it means to be a ROC. Regional Outreach Coordinators are student and alumni leaders who organize Regional Summits. Over a semester, the ROCs plan and host events for community involvement and student-to-student networking. Our journey began in early December 2018 with interviews for the 2019 ROC Cohort. Before that, the behind-the-scenes efforts included application creation and outreach. The hype grew and we, with the help of Google Hangouts, interviewed several prospective ROCs. The result was a cohort of nine energized FRNds who were to plan and execute five regional summits. Lizzie Massey and Elena Kapp covered the DC Metro Area. Will Bergstrom and Grace Liao collaborated between their two separate chapters in Minneapolis. Amanda Martinez held down Denver with the support of Dominique McMillan, FRN’s Program & Outreach Fellow. Roni Gabaldon, Tatum Flowers, and Skyler Adams joined forces in St. Petersburg. In Los Angeles, Nicole Pozzo planned logistics, while I (Heather) conducted long-distance outreach. Across the country, plans to bring members of the Network together for inspiring, engaging, and empowering summits quickly came to life.

Back to April 2019 in California.

It’s the end of a long day. Our brains are full, and we’re standing in a circle under the shade of a large tree. As a final activity of the Summit, I (hc) ask everyone to share something they’ll do in the days or weeks to come.

Minnesota Regional Outreach Coordinators, Will and Grace, with hc and Regina Anderson, Executive Director of FRN.

“Always be recruiting”

“Connect, pool resources”

“Become an official chapter”

“Celebrate with gratitude”

These were themes from all of the summits. At the DMV Summit, some students from a Chapter In Progress whose dining service provider won’t budge problem-solved tactics for approaching the dining staff with other students who have tackled the same issue. The attendees at the Social Sustainability Summit in Denver penned thank you notes for the staff at the University of Denver’s two partner agencies. In Minneapolis, we brainstormed volunteer recruitment tactics. One of which was to plan a large scale recovery soon after a tabling event, so that folks who expressed interest are able to see, firsthand, the scale of food waste and how easy it is to do something about that problem. The attendees of the Florida Summit formed small groups and illustrated mock magazine covers to think expansively around an ideal future of food recovery; it’s an exercise in visioning. 

DMV Regional Outreach Coordinators, Elena and Lizzie, with hc and Regina.

Despite the geographical differences, individuals within those five communities all care about the same thing. We are connected in our dedication to sustaining and expanding the movement to more colleges, universities, and beyond. This is a movement of thousands of people from across the country fighting to reduce food waste and redistribute surplus food to their food-insecure neighbors. 

Now that the Regional Summits have ended and the ROCs have reflected on their experience, we look forward to what the future holds. We will be hosting regional events in California and Florida with applications opening in October. If you are not located in those locations, but have been inspired to host a regional event wherever you are located, we still encourage you to connect with us and fill out an application. Our strength lies in the people of this movement. One conversation has the possibility of striking an idea, developing a relationship, and encouraging change. Let's continue pushing against the status quo and creating spaces to do so.