Feeding the Community with Food that Would Have Gone to Waste

"We actually waste 40 percent of the food that we produce in our country.  Forty percent of the food that is grown or produced is never eaten by anyone... And there's a huge impact of all that food waste on the environment, it's a waste of natural resources. You think about the water that it took to grow that food, and the fuel it took to transport it.  There's a huge need to recover that  food.  And that is one of the big roles that Roadrunner plays... We're taking food that would have ended up in the landfills, would have ended up as an environmental burden, and getting it to people who can eat it.   -Melody Wattenbarger, President and CEO, Roadrunner Food Bank, Albuquerque (during panel discussion following screening of A Place at the Table)

The Campus Kitchens Project was born out of a need to address the problem of food waste while providing university (and some high school students) with a service project.  The project is currently in place at 33 schools around the country, and organizers would like to expand participation.

"We partner with high schools, colleges and universities to share on-campus kitchen space, recover food from cafeterias and engage students as volunteers who prepare and deliver meals to the community," said the Campus Kitchens Project.  "Student volunteers develop partnerships, plan menus, run cooking shifts, organize drivers, garden, glean and teach nutrition education to children and families. They keep track of all of the paperwork (so we know everything’s being done safely), organize fundraisers, develop curriculum and recruit new students to get involved. They accomplish an incredible amount of work every day."

So how can your campus participate? The first option is to participate in a webinar sponsored by Universities Fighting World Hunger  this coming Wednesday, July 31,  at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Register Here for the session.  (Add UFWH on Facebook: Universities Fighting World Hunger and Twitter: @ufwhdotorg for updates on The Campus Kitchens Project and more)

If you are unable to participate in teh UFWH webinar, contact The Campus Kitchens Project directly.  You can start by reviewing the Frequently Asked Questions and then filling out the Getting Started Form   

And check out this video with more information.