Ending Food Waste: A Key in the Fight Against Hunger
There’s an often overlooked factor in the fight against hunger: food waste. Quite frankly, there’s a lot of it – and Americans seem to be the greatest culprit. So here’s Olean Food Pantry’s obligatory call for ending food waste as a critical component to seeing that food gets to the people who need it most.
Across the country, grocery stores and other food suppliers dispose of billions of pounds of edible food every year. Meanwhile, millions of Americans, including many in our own community, go hungry.
At OFP, we believe addressing food waste is not just an environmental issue, but a humanitarian one. By focusing on reducing food waste, we can make a significant impact on exponentially increasing cases of hunger in the communities we serve.
By The Numbers: Ending Food Waste By Understanding the Problem
According to Feeding America, the country’s largest food rescue organization, approximately 66 billion pounds of food go to waste each year in the United States. This staggering figure stands in stark contrast to the 34 million Americans – including more than 9 million children who suffer most – without reliable access to the food they need to thrive.
(Notably, children don’t only suffer physically, but also emotionally and academically. Their struggles make it even more difficult to escape the cycle of poverty, hunger and poor health.)
This paradox of wasting food highlights a critical gap in our national food system – one that Olean Food Pantry is dedicated to addressing.
We particularly enjoyed the example of Tom Hong, a retail relations specialist at the Northern Illinois Food Bank, who made it his personal mission to tackle ending food waste. In a story highlighted by Feeding America, we learned how Hong nurtured strong relationships with local grocery store staff and educated them on the importance of food rescue. Hong and his team were able to rescue 3.6 billion pounds of food in 2021 alone!
Hong’s work underscores the importance of communication, education and collaboration in ending food waste. We count him among our Hunger Heroes!
Olean Food Pantry’s Commitment to Ending Food Waste
We’re inspired by such efforts and are committed to making a similar impact in our community. We understand that ending food waste is not just about redistributing surplus food. It’s about creating a culture of awareness and action. There’s a lot at stake. OFP serves thousands of people every month, and food in the garbage does nothing to help them.
Thankfully, we already enjoy numerous partnerships with food-service organizations to distribute the local surplus. These include local farmers and grocers who provide nutritious produce, protein, dairy and more for free or at preferred nonprofit rates. Our partnerships with for-profit and nonprofit organizations alike play a vital role in our mission of ending food waste.
Through these efforts, we not only meet immediate food needs, but also contribute to the long-term health and well-being of our community. By leading the community charge on food waste and other factors impacting hunger, we aim to foster a more sustainable and equitable food system.
The Community Impact of Addressing Food Waste
Ending food waste has a ripple effect that extends beyond the individuals who receive rescued food. When we reduce food waste, we also conserve resources such as water, energy and labor that go into producing food. This, in turn, helps to lower greenhouse gas emissions and landfill overuse to mitigate the environmental impact of food production.
By extending the supply of fresh food, we help to alleviate the stress and uncertainty that many families face when they don’t know where their next meal will come from. The faces of poverty and food insecurity are numerous and varied. Avoiding food waste provides systemic stability allowing individuals to focus on other important aspects of their lives, such as education, employment and personal development.
Take Action By Supporting the Olean Food Pantry
Olean Food Pantry is committed to educating our communities about the importance of ending food waste. We encourage local businesses, organizations and individuals to join us in this effort. We’ve already done so much alongside community partners, but there’s work yet to do!
Here are a few ways you can help:
1. Support Food Rescue Programs
Donate surplus food from your home or business, or volunteer with organizations that rescue and redistribute food.
2. Reduce Household Food Waste
Plan meals, store food properly and compost food scraps to minimize waste in your own home.
3. Advocate for Policy Change
Support policies and initiatives that promote food rescue and reduce food waste at the local, state and national levels.
4. Donate to Your Local Food Pantry
Local food pantries are local Hunger Heroes on the front lines of the War on Hunger. Organizations like Olean Food Pantry not only help to directly provide food to people who need it most, but also to build more partnerships and programs to address issues like food waste. Cash donations go 66% further than donations of food items alone!
Let’s Build Food Stability By Ending Food Waste
Together, we can make a significant impact on food insecurity by ensuring that less edible food ends up in the trash. Ending food waste is a critical (but often overlooked) step. By addressing food waste, we not only provide immediate relief to those in need, but also build a more sustainable and resilient food system for future generations.
At Olean Food Pantry, we are dedicated to leading the charge in our community by providing fresh food, fostering awareness and encouraging action. We invite you to join us by donating to our $1 Million Fundraising Campaign.
