Why We Rescue-Deer Run Elementary

By-Mary Nolan: Deer Run Teacher

At Deer Run, we were noticing how much unopened milk and uneaten fruit, particularly, was just being tossed into the trash. We had questions as to how and why this could happen. It seemed ridiculous and, frankly, immoral. I began to do some research on how we could rescue food. First, I began collecting just the milk and fruit from one or two lunch periods, taking it home and storing it in a cooler to take to Second Helpings (my daughters were the transporters). Then, it quickly became clear that this was not a sustainable system because there was SO much that could be rescued.

Help for an Overflowing Problem
I started looking around and found Food Rescue. I got an immediate response and a meeting with the K-12 Food Rescue Program Director who answered questions and paired us up with a caring agency who picks up our food directly from the cafeteria.

Feeding Families Not Landfills
We are now a full food rescue school, with students collecting the left over breakfast foods and everyone using our Share Table at lunchtime.They are learning food has value and instead of piling the dumpster we are feeding families in need. We are doing more to help protect our environment. The only regret is that we didn’t begin at the beginning of this school year. Looking forward, we are ready for the upcoming year, with everything in place and the culture of rescue developed. This is what education should be.

To learn how you can bring K-12 Food Rescue to your school: click here.