Poolesville, now utilize CFR
gleanings to get fresh fruits
and vegetables to county
agencies and schools, where
a high percentage of stu-
dents qualify for free and re-
duced meals. In 2015, Manna
launched Community Food
Rescue with the knowledge
that if we built the capacity and
connectivity of our food recovery
partners, we could feed even more
and waste even less.
Shifting the food system is
about more than just food produc-
ers but also creating a connected
network with food providers.
There are more than 70 orga-
nizations and agencies across
Montgomery County that provide
food assistance—churches, social
service organizations, and county
agencies need access to healthy
food for residents in need. Now
numerous small non-profits who
provide food assistance are con-
nected by CFR’s matching technol-
ogy, shared learning, and funding
to build their agencies’ capacities
to store and distribute food.
Pat Drumming, Executive
Director at RCDC is thrilled to see
how recovered food extends her
organization’s capacity. “Because
of Manna and the CFR network,
we provide more variety and
quantity to our clients.” The part-
nership has increased the nutri-
tious options and how much food
households receive, from a 1-2
day supply of food to a 10-day or
more supply.
Food recovery happens ev-
ery day in Montgomery County
thanks to innovative approaches
like Community Food Rescue.
Since Manna launched CFR, the
program has grown to almost
28
plenty I autumn harvest 2019
CFR Food Runner delivers boxes of
food from the Bethesda Coop to
Adventist Community Services of
Greater Washington.
400 members including food
donor businesses, food assistance
organizations, and volunteer food
runners. Together the network
has rescued and distributed 5.8
million pounds of food (about 4.8
million meals) otherwise destined
to be discarded. Every pound
of food donated, every food run
completed, every meal delivered,
is a life changed.
Jaime, the CFR volunteer, takes
her kids on food runs. “Typically,
they are involved in food drives,
toiletry drives, or clothing drives,
or walks/runs to raise money for
a cause—and those are important,
but abstract. They don’t have a
sense of where the products or
money are going. But when we do
a food run, the kids see that there
are food businesses that have extra
food and people who need food.
They understand that by trans-
porting food, WE are the link be-
tween the two and we are making
a difference. That’s a tangible and
powerful lesson!”
Hunger is not an individual
problem. Now that you know of
what is possible locally, it empow-
ers each of us to be part of the
global solution. Food recovery is
one piece to the puzzle. When we
shift our local food system to re-
duce waste and direct food
to people in need, we can
see an impact both locally
and globally. An intentional
and more sustainable food
system connects our com-
munity in the fight to end
hunger and ensures food
for all our neighbors. There
are three key ways you can get
involved today to fight hunger:
1) join Manna in our efforts to cre-
ate a healthy and thriving com-
munity; 2) connect with the Food
Council to advocate for food policy
at the local, state, and national
level; and 3) as the 2020 election
approaches and policies regarding
hunger and nutrition take cen-
ter stage, take time to scrutinize
candidates’ policies to make sure
they do not overlook hunger or
disregard the community-based
innovations that are having a real
impact on people’s lives.
About Manna Food Center and
Community Food Rescue. Jackie
DeCarlo is the Chief Executive Officer
of Manna Food Center. Manna Food
Center’s singular mission is to elimi-
nate hunger in Montgomery County,
Maryland through food distribution,
education and advocacy. Community
Food Rescue, a program of Manna, is
a dynamic network of food producers,
distributors, providers, and food runners
tackling food waste across Montgomery
County through innovative technology.
Manna Food Center is hosting Com-
munity Food Rescue Week—October 20-
26th—public events to raise awareness
of food waste, food recovery and food
security in Montgomery County. For
more information on how you as an indi-
vidual, food business, or food assistance
organization can get involved, visit:
www.communityfoodrescue.org