Why We Rescue-Chartwells K-12 of Pike Township

By: Julia Engle Resident Dietitian
Chartwells K12 of Pike Township schools is proud to be a part of the K-12 Food Rescue program. Our students and teachers put forth a great effort to make sure we are collectively helping our community and reducing our carbon foot print. Pike’s journey with K-12 Food Rescue has been a smooth, easy process and provides our students with a great reward in knowing they are helping to feed hungry people and save our planet simultaneously. 
At Chartwells K12, we recognize the significance that one person can have to make a positive chain reaction. During the 2015-2016 school year, one teacher leader spoke up regarding the amount of food waste seen in her school.  She took this problem and decided to positively act upon it. She reached out to Chartwells K12 and the K-12 Food Rescue program to put an end her community’s continually growing issue with hunger and overflowing landfills.
    Since the 2015-2016 school year, Pike Township has gone from having one school in the K-12 Food Rescue program to now nine of our 14 schools! We hope to have all 14 schools rescuing food in the next year. While we value the significance of feeding those in need and reducing our carbon footprint, we are most excited that we can root these actions in our youth who will continue to carry this on throughout their schooling and beyond. Being a student-led program, K-12 Food Rescue gives our students the autonomy to make an impact in their community. They can see firsthand the amount of waste they are saving from landfills and providing to those in need.
    We are grateful to have K-12 Food Rescue in our district. This partnership has been invaluable to not only our planet and community but also our youth who will lead the way to a better future with generations to come.  Thank you to all of the wonderful people who keep this program running so seamlessly with our everyday activities!