Local leaders are showing how technology and collaboration can fight hunger and reduce waste
According to the USDA, approximately 133 billion pounds of food from U.S. retail stores, restaurants, and homes went uneaten in 2010. At the same moment, the USDA also reports that there are 47 million food insecure individuals in the U.S. Much of this food may be deemed wholesome and could be redistributed to feed individuals and families.
Innovative local governments and organizations have shown that one promising method to divert part of this waste stream harnesses technology to pair restaurants with wholesome food available for donation to food pantries, food banks and those organizations with similar missions. Think Tinder for wholesome food — swipe right to match!
Yet there are still obstacles to overcome. In a local outreach to permitted food facilities and food pantries, a large urban health department isolated several reasons these pairings may not occur naturally:
- Concerns of Liability – If a consumer subsequently gets ill, who is liable?
- Lack of Infrastructure – Packaging, transporting, and maintaining temperature require additional resources
- Lack of Connections – Who should I call? Who can I trust?
- Liability Concerns – The county may integrate important messaging about state and Federal Good Samaritan laws
- Liability Concerns – The county may specify safe food handling practices
- Liability Concerns – The county may call-out donors with active health permits
- Lack of Connections – The apps become a friction-free pairing of donors to recipients
For more details on Accela’s Civic Solution for Environmental Health that assists with food protection and solid waste management click here.
Editors Note: This blog post was originally published by National Association of Counties on July 11