With so much food needlessly going to waste, one Los Angeles-based group is working to redirect perishing produce to communities in need.
An inspiring LA-based group has redirected an incredible 250 million lbs of food headed for landfill to feed people in need.
With thousands of pounds worth of perfectly good food needlessly going to waste every year, this non-profit group is working to reduce waste and feed those who need it most.
Founded in 2009, the group has worked over the past 13 years to reroute an incredible 250 million lbs worth of food destined for landfill.
A worthy cause ‒ helping the planet and those in need
Food Forward is a non-profit organisation founded in 2009 in Southern California.
On their website, they state that their mission is to “fight hunger and prevent food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce”. They then connect “this abundance with people experiencing food insecurity, and inspire others to do the same.”
Reaching a massive milestone, Food Forward declared that they had redirected an incredible 250 million lbs worth of food from landfill to those in need since 2009.
However, that is not the only important impact the group has had. This year alone, they have prevented 18,820 metric tons of CO2 equivalent waste and fed 2 million people.
Group redirects 250 million lbs of food from landfill to feed people in need ‒ preventing hunger and waste
Southern California is both the largest exporter and importer of produce in the United States. Thus, Food Forward is in the perfect location to ensure this abundance of food does not go to waste.
They work with 350 direct partners to coordinate food donations across 12 counties in California and six adjacent states and tribal lands.
Reaching the impressive milestone of 250 million lbs of food redirected to those in need means the California group have dished up an amazing one billion servings in its 13 years of operation.
Filling the gap ‒ feeding food-desert-based communities
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s inflationary fiscal policy make it increasingly difficult for rural and food-desert-based communities to get fresh produce.
Having experience since 2009 in redirecting food destined for landfill, Food Forward was able to quickly help with these issues.
Speaking to Civileats, CEO Rick Nahmias said, “We’re all kind of under this umbrella, feeling like the last ten years for Food Forward were a dress rehearsal for the pandemic.”
The group has already redirected an incredible 250 million lbs of food from landfill to feed people in need. However, they’re not planning to stop there.
Nahmias continued, “[Now], we’ve got kind of an internal feeling of growing into the suit of clothes that we needed to put on for the pandemic.”
A huge initiative fighting both hunger and climate change. We can’t wait to see what they do next!