Food Tank is excited to announce the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors. The newest board members are Regina Anderson, Executive Director for the Food Recovery Network and Marc Zornes, Founder of Winnow . “The Food Tank Board is absolutely thrilled to welcome Regina Anderson and Marc Zornes. Regina Anderson’s leadership in the non-profit and advocacy space is second to none. Marc Zornes brings a mission-led business leadership background and is a terrific sounding board and mentor. Food Tank is rapidly expanding and we are well served by these two incredibly qualified stewards,” says Bernard Pollack, Food Tank’s Co-founder and Board Chair. Anderson joined Food Recovery Network as the Executive Director in 2015 and is responsible for setting the vision, strategy and fundraising efforts for the organization. She works with her team, stakeholders and partners around the country to make higher education the first sector where food recovery is the norm and not the exception. “As a convener of thought and aggregator of critical knowledge to improve and heal the food system, Food Tank is a powerhouse organization that shares all the voices we need to really transform how we think about our food,” Anderson tells Food Tank. “As a new Board member, I cannot wait to dig into the work to help Food Tank continue to thrive and reach more people.”
Zornes is a former top-rated McKinsey Engagement Manager where he was a leader in the consumer and sustainability practices. He founded Winnow to help the hospitality sector cut food waste using technology. Since its launch five years ago Winnow has been deployed in 40 countries. Kitchens using Winnow typically see food waste cut in half within 12 months, and chefs using Winnow are collectively saving 23 million meals each year. “I’ve been a huge fan of Food Tank’s work for a long time,” Zornes tells Food Tank. “Dani and the team at Food Tank have the unique pairing of having their finger on the pulse to understand how we make our food system better and the ear of those that can make it happen. In joining Food Tank’s board, I hope to be able to bring some of my experience in helping the team scale their impact further. But in truth, I’m really here to help any way I can in humble service to a cause I deeply believe in.”

Food Tank Announces Additions to Board of Directors

Food Recovery Network
Ten years ago, a few college students at the University of Maryland became keenly aware that huge volumes of untouched, perfectly good dining hall food was getting tossed in the trash, and they teamed up to do something about it. They packed up as much as they could and toted it by carloads to a soup kitchen, a church and other places in their community where they already volunteered. Then the friends called more friends—a couple of them at Brown University in Rhode Island, and others at Berkeley and Pomona in California and got them to do the same in their communities. They grew their scheme bigger with help from a Maryland University professor, founding the Food Recovery Network (FRN), which today is the largest student-run, hunger- and food waste-fighting organization in the country. It’s powered by 180 colleges, with paid staff who work from a national office to recruit more college participants. They collectively get food to 350 nonprofits across the country including food banks, pantries, homeless and domestic violence shelters, after-school programs among others. They’ve recovered over 4.2 million pounds of food since 2011. By now these young volunteers have ventured beyond their campuses, also working with corporate America, helping employers figure out how to get surplus from their cafeterias and conferences to where it will be eaten. “What the first few students were doing in the beginning was simple in their minds. Just take this food to the church or pantry down the road,” says Regina Anderson, executive director of Food Recovery Network. But today the large nonprofit that sprouted from the power of grass roots organizing is growing in a more sophisticated way. “We are looking at aggregated data to understand where to focus to get more chapters. The first data set, which we got from the EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] looks at where food surplus is. We overlaid across that a data set from Feeding America to see where the most food insecure people are. And we look at how to mobilize more students in those areas,” Anderson says. What sets FRN apart in her eyes is that students propel the movement, and she and her staff want to keep them in the driver’s seat. They are forging special relationships in their own communities, and FRN gives them resources to know how to go about it. Guidance and training are tailored for students’ regions and their means. Volunteers in urban areas like New York City for instance may not have cars, and staff help them find partner agencies that can come to them or that they can walk to. Or they help them connect with a driving service (Lyft). “So, we focus on where the chapters are in relation to where recipients are to make sure the food gets to where it needs to go. And we help students figure it out,” Anderson says. Youth develop relationships, not only in their communities, but with kitchen staff and dining managers. FRN encourages that relationship because they are the ones that have to sign off on the food so it can be taken off campus. “Often dining providers say no because they mistakenly think they can’t [give the food away] legally. They may not be sure students will be there and do work consistently. Or they say, ‘We run a tight ship and now you are asking us to change how we do it.’ So students educate them, and those that are hesitant at first hear them out,” she says, adding that FRN is about dignity and respect. And with dining staff that dignity and respect comes from that they are no longer asked to throw away a hard day’s work. “We stop that cycle of disrespecting the worker and the work that they do. And they reconsider partnering with the students to salvage the food,” Anderson says. From the receiving end, Beth Leos, volunteer program manager at Hope’s Door in Plano, TX says FRN is making a big difference. The women and children who come into this emergency shelter are fleeing domestic violence. “The shelter is a safe place for them. Having FRN deliver food from the University of Texas five days a week allows them reprieve from making meals at a time they are dealing with so much emotional trauma. The food we receive from FRN is already prepared, nutritious and offers a good variety so clients are not burdened with this extra work. They have more time for healing and spending with their children," Leos says. Students seem to be creating a ripple effect. “Once they graduate, they are going into all types of industries and professions. They are doctors, artists, busines administrators, and entrepreneurs, and they take this message of prioritizing food recovery and not wasting food into their sectors and try to instill a culture within their businesses,” Anderson says. Over the years more than a few of the volunteers have done turnabouts in their early lives, based on what they see and hear and do through FRN. “They think of what causes hunger in the first place. Some of them have changed their majors or career plans. It has changed them because of their exposure as part of their community helping to solve hunger. It happens many times every year,” Anderson attests. Elaine Losekamp was actually already moving in the direction of a food sustainability focus when she founded an FRN chapter at Western Kentucky University two years ago. She was studying agriculture and beginning to think about work in sustainable agriculture, to feed people in need while addressing environmental impacts of wasted food. She graduated last year and now works for a gleaning organization. These nonprofits set up communitywide food recovery networks. Losekamp’s job is to initiate another gleaning program under the organization’s umbrella. While a student, not much after she founded the campus chapter, she began reaching out to businesses that wanted to do food recovery, helping them to set up programs and find partners. This early involvement proved to be a springboard. “FRN provides a template to those who want to start their own chapter. And what I most learned is how to mobilize all these volunteers to move food and get other nonprofits involved. It’s the same mechanics as starting a local, small-scale nonprofit. It’s a big task to get all the moving parts together – and challenging for anyone, but especially young students who just graduated,” Losekamp says. “I think I would not have had the experience or know how to start a gleaning program if I had not had support from FRN. Now I’m doing this as a job,” she says.

Colleges Mobilizing Food Rescue Have Ripple Effect

One-third of the world’s food is wasted, according to the United Nations (UN). That number jumps to 40 percent in the United States—enough to feed 2 billion people. Uneaten food has dire consequences for the planet: decomposing waste releases methane , a potent greenhouse gas. According to the UN, if food waste was its own country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gas in the world, after the United States and China. And yet, a recent Census Bureau survey finds that 1 in 8 Americans is struggling to secure reliable, nutritious food. “There’s no shortage of food,” Regina Anderson, Executive Director of the Food Recovery Network, tells Food Tank . That has never been the case in America—we have so much food. We can throw most of it—almost all of it—away, and still have enough food to feed everybody. It’s just a distribution issue.”
Fortunately, innovative organizations are finding ways to recover and redistribute food to people in need. Food Tank highlights 17 of these groups below. And to learn more about organizations fighting food waste in your neighborhood, follow the link to Sustainable America’s food rescue directory . 1. Aloha Harvest , Hawai’i, United States
One in 5 Hawai’ians relies on food pantries for assistance—yet 237,000 tons of quality food is wasted each year. Aloha Harvest—the state’s largest food waste nonprofit—aims to bridge that gap by picking up excess food from donors and delivering it to food relief organizations across O’ahu. Since 1999, the group has rescued and distributed nearly 11 million kilograms (24 million pounds) of food. 2. City Harvest , New York, United States
Each day, City Harvest deploys 26 refrigerated trucks to pick up food from nearly 2,500 farms, restaurants, grocery stores, and manufacturers, then delivers that food to hundreds of soup kitchens, food pantries, and community food programs. The organization rescues nearly 136,000 kilograms (300,000 pounds) of food every day and has delivered more than 385 million kilograms (850 million pounds) to food-insecure New Yorkers since 1982. Dreaming Out Loud (DOL) aims to improve food access and create economic opportunities for at-risk District residents by distributing food from local farms. This summer, DOL offered a weekly CSA called the Black Farm Bag, composed entirely of produce sourced from Black farmers. The organization has coordinated, produced, and distributed more than 300,000 meals and thousands of kilograms of groceries across DC to date. Food Forward was conceived when founder Rick Nahmias stumbled upon wasted fruit on the sidewalk. The nonprofit now rescues over 226,000 kilograms (500,000 pounds) of surplus fruits and vegetables each week fresh from trees, farmers markets, and the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market. Food Forward donates 100 percent of its harvest to more than 1,800 hunger relief groups throughout Southern California. Over the last 11 years, the organization has rescued more than 400 million servings of fresh produce. The student-led Food Recovery Network unites volunteers to collect surplus food from college campuses and deliver it directly to local soup kitchens and shelters. Food Recovery Network has launched 230 chapters since 2011, donated 3.2 million meals, and prevented nearly 3.4 million kilograms (7.4 million pounds) of carbon emissions. Five days a week, Forgotten Harvest delivers more than 62,500 kilograms (138,000 pounds) of surplus food to charities in greater Detroit. So far this year, Forgotten Harvest volunteers have fulfilled more than 54,000 hours of service, and the group has redistributed roughly 21 million kilograms (46 million pounds) of food. Forgotten Harvest also grows fresh produce for those in need at its own Forgotten Harvest Farms . Hands for Hunger was founded by Bahamian students in 2008. The organization collects excess perishable and prepared foods from hospitality industry businesses, farms, and individuals, and redistributes it to soup kitchens, youth programs, rehabilitation centers, and shelters. The group also offers “Hunger Huddle” classes to teach students about advocacy, food-raising, and fundraising. Founder Ronni Kahn AO started OzHarvest with a single van in 2004, when she delivered 4,000 meals in the first month. Today, OzHarvest rescues more than 180 tons of food each week from more than 3,500 commercial donors across the country. The organization recently opened the country’s first rescued food supermarket in Sydney, which operates by a “take what you need, give if you can” philosophy. The Real Junk Food Project (TRJFP) intercepts surplus food from supermarkets, restaurants, wholesalers, food banks, and food photographers, and redistributes it to schools, organizations, and individuals in need. TRJFP also redistributes food through its catering service and “pay-as-you-feel” Sharehouse Supermarkets. Since 2013, the program has rescued the equivalent of 14.3 million meals. 10. ReFED , United States
ReFED is a network of business, nonprofit, and government leaders using data to discover new ways to fight food waste. ReFED has identified 27 points of­ the food chain where waste can be reduced: first through prevention—like standardizing date labeling and educating consumers—then recovery—like redistributing food to people in need—then recycling—such as converting would-be wasted food into energy and animal feed. By implementing these solutions, the team projects that 20 percent of food waste can be reduced over the next decade. Rescuing Leftover Cuisine picks up excess food from businesses and drives it to homeless shelters and soup kitchens across 16 cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, and New York. The organization has served more than 3.6 million meals so far. A US$5 donation to Rescuing Leftover Cuisine can save 22 kilograms (50 pounds) of food. 12. Rethink Food , New York, United States
Rethink Food partners with restaurants and chefs to feed food insecure communities in New York City. More than 35 “Rethink certified” restaurants have committed to incorporating surplus food into their meals. The organization also operates Rethink Café, a donation-based restaurant that invites “anyone and everyone” to enjoy nutritious, dignified meals for a suggested US$5 donation. Rethink has invested more than US$10 million in local communities and provided more than 2 million nutritious meals. Second Harvest is Canada’s largest food rescue organization. The group recovers unsold food from farms and restaurants, and redistributes it to more than 1,000 social service organizations. Second Harvest rescues enough food to provide 43,000 meals each day. Since 1985, it has rescued more than 70 million kilograms (155 million pounds) of unsold food. Sesc Mesa Brasil is a national network of food banks that collect surplus food from rural producers, retailers, food companies, and more, then distribute it to institutions serving Brazilians afflicted by hunger, addiction, and homelessness. Mesa Brasil also mobilizes to serve those affected by humanitarian crises. The organization brings together professionals, volunteers, and beneficiaries for conversations on nutrition and social care. The Felix Project collects fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, meat, and fish from more than 450 supermarkets, wholesalers, farms, and restaurants. The organization’s workers then sort and deliver foods to more than 400 charities, schools, and holiday programs. The Felix Project has provided food for 14 million meals since 2016. Tkiyet Um Ali manages multiple hunger-fighting initiatives across Jordan. Through the organization’s “Aber Sabeel” program in Amman, volunteers serve hot, calorically-dense lunches to 400 people each day. Tkiyet Um Ali also delivers food parcels to more than 18,000 families each month. Since 2003, the organization has distributed more than 2 million food parcels, provided more than 2.6 million lunches, and performed more than 237,000 animal sacrifices for Jordanians in need. The San Francisco-based White Pony Express recovers an estimated 6,800 kilograms (15,000 pounds) of high-quality food per day, 364 days a year. The group lets donors pre-schedule donations, which are then picked up by volunteers and brought to more than 70 local charities. White Pony Express hopes their volunteer-based “circle of giving” will serve as a model for other communities. Photo courtesy of Joel Muniz, Unsplash

17 Organizations Diverting Food Waste to Provide Meals for People in Need

Today on “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg,” Dani interviews Regina Anderson, Executive Director of the Food Recovery Network, about the surplus food problem that the COVID-19 pandemic will create. “There’s no shortage of food. That has never been the case in America- we have so much food. We can throw most of it – almost all of it- away, and still have enough food to feed everybody. It’s just a distribution issue,” says Anderson. You can listen to “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg” on  Apple iTunes ,  Stitcher ,  Google Play Music ,  Spotify , or wherever you consume your podcasts. While you’re listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback.

Regina Anderson Talks Food Recovery Network, COVID-19

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CHICAGO, Aug. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- During its annual Leadership Summit in Chicago, the National Association of Realtors® today announced a new commitment to fight hunger, as NAR will begin donating surplus food from its events and meetings to those in need. Working in partnership with the Food Recovery Network, a college student-led hunger non-profit organization, NAR has asked the 1,200 local and state Realtor® associations around the country to "take the pledge" and join to help multiply the effort. "Giving back to the community is the right thing to do, and I am proud that NAR members have a long history of helping their neighbors," said Bob Goldberg, NAR CEO. "We hope this effort will inspire other associations, organizations, businesses and individuals to fight hunger in their local communities." The NAR commitment will add to an effort by FRN and its affiliates, which has to date recovered 3.9 million pounds of food, donated 3.2 million meals and prevented 7.4 million pounds of CO2 emissions since 2011. NAR and FRN started their partnership earlier this year, when FRN staff designed and executed a food recovery plan for NAR's Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C. On the final day of the event, two lunch events were unexpectedly canceled. However, thanks to the food recovery plan, 85 meals were donated to Charlie's Place , a hunger-fighting nonprofit in D.C.
"We look forward to partnering with NAR and the entire Realtor® family to make food donation a regular part of their events and meetings. We make it fast, easy and simple for organizations to donate surplus food to people who need it the most," said Regina Anderson, FRN Executive Director. "Our two organizations share the goal of making food recovery – not food waste – the standard at real estate industry events. "   NAR hotel and convention partners will collaborate on food recovery, and FRN will verify the effort at NAR's largest annual event for real estate professionals, the 2019 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, which be held this year from November 8–11, 2019, in San Francisco. An estimated 20,000 people will attend the conference. About NAR:
The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members, including NAR's affiliated institutes, societies, and councils, involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate. Our membership is composed of residential and commercial brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers, counselors and others engaged in the real estate industry. Members belong to one or more of approximately 1,200 local associations/boards and 54 state and territory associations of Realtors®. About Food Recovery Network
Food Recovery Network unites and empowers college student leaders in the fight against food waste and hunger in America. Since 2011, FRN students have recovered more than 3.9 million pounds of surplus food from their cafeterias and local restaurants. This food would have gone to waste, but because of their hard work, it is feeding hungry Americans. FRN has more than 200 college campus chapters in 44 states and the District of Columbia. For more information about FRN, and to join our effort, visit www.foodrecoverynetwork.org . Follow us on Twitter @FoodRecovery, Instagram @FoodRecovery and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FoodRecoveryNetwork . SOURCE National Association of Realtors
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National Association of Realtors® Partners with Food Recovery Network to Provide Food to the Less...

National Association of Realtors (NAR) is a trade association representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

National Association of Realtors

`` NAR is such a powerful partner because they truly walk the walk to make food recovery the norm and not the exception , '' said FRN 's Executive Director Regina Anderson .

NAR, Food Recovery Network Partnership Results in 3,500 Meals Donated in Last Six Months.

OXO is a producer of household tools, including kitchen, cleaning, and home organization products. It is the maker of Good Grips, SoftWorks, Candela, SteeL, and Tot brands.

This partnership between OXO and FRN will ensure FRN can continue to reduce CO2 emissions by ensuring perfectly good food goes to feed our neighbors in need , and is n't needlessly wasted in landfills where it will produce and emit CO2 .

Blog — Food Recovery Network

As we begin a new school year , we are delighted to announce a new powerful partnership for FRN - our collaboration with the National Association of REALTORS ® to bring awareness to the intersectional issues of hunger and housing .

Powerful Partnership: FRN and National Association of REALTORS® — Food Recovery Network

NAR develops a software solution for aerial platforms and drones, called Raven AI, to automate pipeline patrols.On August 4th, 2020, NAR was acquired by B3Bar Holdings. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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Seed

Food Recovery Network empowers students to recover food from colleges that would otherwise be wasted and donate it to hungry Americans.

Date	4/8/2014
Round	Seed
Amount	$0.01M
Investors	Civic Accelerator
Valuation
Revenue	0 FY undefined
Sources	1

First funding	4/8/2014
Last Funding	4/8/2014
Investor	Civic Accelerator
Rounds	1 Seed
Board Seats
Type	Incubator/Accelerator
Location	Georgia

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