Food Waste Event Raises Awareness

Tina Powderly, Executive Director Franklin Food Pantry (right), welcomes Liz Miller, Community Relations Manager from Spoonfuls food recovery organization.

The Franklin Food Pantry, which provides supplemental food assistance
to more than 1,800 individuals each year, welcomed Liz Miller, Senior
Community Relations Manager of Spoonfuls, a food recovery
organization, on Thursday, September 12, 2024, to present “Wasted
Food, Hunger, and the Climate Emergency: How Food Recovery Helps.” 

The free, educational event brought attention to food waste and its
impact on food insecurity and climate change and emphasized The
Pantry’s commitment to educating the community and finding
innovative and sustainable methods to fight hunger. Members of the
community, including high-school students, businesses, and social
service agencies attended the event which was hosted by the `Food
Justice Team' at the First Universalist Society in Franklin.

The event
coincided with Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign to raise
hunger awareness during the month of September, and the release of
The
Pantry’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan which guides
growth to ensure The Pantry remains a sustainable source of support
for the community. Providing opportunities to learn about food
recovery emphasizes top priorities in the Strategic Plan— people,
engagement, advocacy, and sustainability—and gives individuals and
groups tangible ideas to take action.

“The Pantry is
empowering the community by providing knowledge and actionable steps
to fight food insecurity,” said Tina Powderly, Executive Director,
Franklin Food Pantry. “By sharing information and working with
Spoonfuls, The Pantry is demonstrating our commitment to reducing
food waste, serving as responsible stewards of environmental
resources, and influencing long term changes that improve outcomes
for those we serve.

The amount of food The Pantry receives from Spoonfuls has multiplied
over the past two years. In 2022, The Pantry received 100 pounds of
food from Spoonfuls each week. In 2023, deliveries steadily
increased, and now stands at 2,000 pounds each week. The increase is
due in part to The Pantry’s new location and ability to accept more
food, but also is a deliberate response to the increasing need for
food assistance and leveraging food suppliers who are utilizing
sustainable solutions to reduce food waste.

"Spoonfuls
is grateful for our partnership with the Franklin Food Pantry, one of
the valued food programs we work with across Massachusetts to get
good food to people who need it now,” said Liz Miller, Senior
Community Relations Manager, Spoonfuls. “Our work in the Metrowest
and across the regions where we work means we are recovering millions
of pounds of food each year and ensuring that that food is being used
for its highest and best purpose, to feed people."

To receive alerts
and information on additional educational opportunities and fighting
food insecurity, please sign up for The Pantry’s newsletters.

The
Pantry is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in good standing in
Massachusetts, recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four-Star
Charity, and awarded GuideStar’s Platinum Transparency ranking. The
Pantry is located at 341 W. Central St. in Franklin, MA on Route 140.
Please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org for more information.

Through food
recovery and distribution, education, and advocacy, Spoonfuls works
to address the health, environmental, and economic impact that wasted
food has on people and the planet. To date, the organization has
prevented 35 million pounds of good food from going to waste. Learn
more at spoonfuls.org.