Christina McDonough, the board chair of the Quad Cities Food Rescue Partnership, states that they, “really found our niche is education and awareness. We are always looking at new ways to let people know the value in either donating their unused food to a nonprofit hunger relief agency or repurposing it into their leftovers or new dishes,” among other solutions to food tackling food waste as well.
The workshop has a jam-packed two hour session, with information that not only helps individuals tackle food waste, but how businesses can help too. Some of the sessions in the workshop include: the effects socially, economically, and environmentally of food waste, community gardening, at home/ individual food waste reduction and budget cooking, composting and local volunteer opportunities.
These workshops started in 2015, and are held every two years. However, in 2020, they began awarding a Food Rescue Warrior and a Member of the Year.
“There was just so much great, inspiring momentum in the community that we really had a desire to recognize an individual who was going above and beyond with her volunteerism, and also then with a food establishment who was really going above and beyond to help make things happen and make sure food wasn’t being wasted,” said McDonough.
Nominees for this year’s Food Rescue Warrior and the Member of the Year are still being accepted. To submit a nomination, head to foodrescueqc.org/events/2024-food-rescue-workshop/.
The Quad Cities Food Rescue Partnership reports that about 25% of people living in the Quad Cities suffer from food insecurity, and on top of that, about 15% of Quad Citizens happen to live in a food desert, meaning that they live more than one mile away from a place where reliable healthy foods are available.
The Quad Cities works hand in hand with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA, who also help reduce food waste in our area.
“Through all of our efforts, we have been able to rescue more than 58,000 pounds of food from going to the landfill,” said McDonough.
The workshop will be held at 7:00 p.m. on September 26th at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. To learn more about the Quad Cities Food Rescue Partnership, visit foodrescueqc.org.