California is not just diverting this waste away from landfills with its recent expansion of curbside recycling to include discarded meals.
The state recycling law Senate Bill 1383It is also required that at least 20% of the edible refuse be saved for the hungry.
Although the legislation’s primary goal was to cut climate-changing methane emissions from rotting foods and recycle the waste as compost, it also has the social objective to recover discarded food to feed those in greatest need.
Ventura County is home to one in six people who struggle with food insecurity. According to Food Share, a food bank that provides food for 140,000 area residents per year, this goal is crucial.
Abound Food Care is currently conducting a study in Ventura County to identify local food distributors, grocery shops, restaurants, hotels and other venues that are subject to the food rescue requirements.
The local government’s recycling coordinators will need help finding ways to reuse prepared food. Monica White, Food Shares president, CEO, says that managing prepared food, such a restaurant or caterer, is five times more expensive then shelf-stable, pre-prepared food.
The Ventura County Public Health Department has led the Waste-Free VC Coalition. It provides tools to support the growth of local food rescue programs and recovery programs.
Recently, the department was granted authorization to spend the final $100,000 of the $500,000 grant that CalRecycle (California Department of Resources Recovery and Recycling) awarded in 2018. Community Action of Ventura County was able to purchase a boxtruck, a refrigerated truck, as well as expand its walk-in fridge, with the help of the funding. The grant money was used by the Spirit of Santa Paula to purchase a cargo van, two refrigerated trucks, and expand a commercial kitchen.
Kay Wilson-Bolton is the volunteer director of Spirit of Santa Paula. She stated that she wants to retrieve the prepared food to feed the homeless, as well as those who are staying at the shelter.
We live with people, and they need food. We can help if someone has a large event with lots of leftover food that was kept at safe temperatures.
She advised donors not to be afraid of liability in relation to food donations. A 2017 state Good Samaritan law, Assembly Bill 1219The law provides legal protection to those who donate food they consider safe for consumption.
Spirit of Santa Paula sends an unrefrigerated truck to large donations such as that of a school cafeteria director, who recently requested a pickup of 64 cartons of yogurt.
Wilson-Bolton stated that small donations can be handled by a volunteer driving his car with a cooler at the back.
The quality and quantity of prepared food will determine how far staff and volunteers will travel to pick it up. Wilson-Bolton stated that food that can feed at least 30 people is sufficient for the Spirit of Santa Paula. This is unless we don’t really need it, such as rice.
Community Action of Ventura County will collect food from any location within 15 miles of Oxnard. Individuals and restaurants are welcome to deliver smaller quantities to the group center at 621 Richmond Ave. The organization also collects from supermarkets like Sprouts and deli counters across the county.
To donate, get food or volunteer, contact the following nonprofit organizations:
David Goldstein, an environmental resource analyst with the Ventura County Public Works Agency, can be reached at (805) 658-4312 or [email protected]