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October 2015
Policy&Practice
11
See Food Waste on page
on-campus dining halls, cafés, and
sporting events that would otherwise
go to waste. A typical recovery night
saves
to
pounds a food, which
amounts to about ,
pounds of
food recovered annually. After coor-
dinating with dining services (Sodexo
at UMD), FRN volunteers store and
deliver uneaten food to local organiza-
tions like the Christian Life Center in
Riverdale, Md.
Though Christian Life Center had an
existing food ministry, Pastor Ben Slye
was approached by church members
who were employed at UMD’s “
North” dining hall. Similar to students,
they noted the tremendous amount
of food being wasted at the end of
each night. After approaching FRN
about setting up a donation schedule,
Christian Life Center began receiving
food from FRN volunteers on Mondays
and Wednesdays. Christian Life Center
also receives fresh produce from
Taylor Farms, Coastal Sunbelt, and
Coosemans Produce—through this
they are able to distribute – ,
pounds of food throughout the
community.
Slye believes that organizations like
FRN and others have “recognize[d]
that the greatest thing in life is to solve
a problem,” and that food insecurity
is not a food production problem, but
rather a “food distribution problem.”
Slye added that food recovery and
donation programs are “literally
helping families sustain themselves.”
The Food Recovery Network has
since grown to include chapters at
more than
colleges and universi-
ties in
states and the District of
Columbia. As of August
, food
recovered and donated has totaled
more than
,
pounds since
September
. During the
–
academic year, chapters rescued
,
meals. FRN has also launched
a certification program,
Food Recovery
Certified
—with partner Sodexo—to
increase the number of restaurants,
Graphic courtesy of LeanPath