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Waste not with HFFA donations

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Waste not with HFFA donations

By Chris Brockel
Healthy Food For All

In September Healthy Food For All (HFFA) surpassed the 200,000 pound milestone for food recovered and distributed to low income families throughout Dane County. As we have gained experience during our two year existence, the amount of prepared food and local farm produce we are able to accept and manage has grown exponentially, meaning the next 200,000 pounds will come much more quickly. It is because of the support we have received from the community that we have been able to achieve this success. From food donations, to volunteers, to words of encouragement, we are encouraged that folks are signing on to our mission.

HFFA sees itself at the crossroads of three major social movements: food access, food sovereignty and environmentalism. Some folks look at HFFA as a major social innovation, but we see what we do as simple common sense. With 40 percent of all food produced in the U.S. going to waste, Healthy Food For All is building an infrastructure that can capture those resources and distribute them to where they are needed. Despite an improving economy, food access remains a huge issue in Dane County, so finding ways to capture excess food before it becomes waste allows our community to use local and available resources to take care of its needs. If you count the miles the food on your table travels, then you should also be concerned about the food miles that end up in the emergency food system helping to feed less fortunate families. If you are concerned about greenhouse gasses changing our climate, then you should be concerned about food waste in our landfills.

As we move into fall and approach the holiday season, many of you are thinking of ways you can support local charitable organizations. Hosting a food drive to collect donations for local pantries is a common activity during this time. Our community has many wonderful food pantries and the Northside hosts The River, Kennedy Heights, Lakeview Luthern and St. Paul’s Bread of Life food pantries. If you have traditionally supported these efforts, please continue to do so. If you are taking up food access as a new initiative, please consider hosting a fund drive and donating to Healthy Food For All. Healthy Food for All can easily procure local food donations, but they need your support to continue to build a system that supplies healthy local foods at far less than $1 per pound. Under the direction of the Northside Planning Council we are excellent stewards of our resources.

Waste not, want not.

Visit hffadane.org to learn more about the work of Healthy Food For All.