Food Rescue FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Below, we answer some of the most Frequently asked Questions.
What do we get if we partner with Food Rescue?
We provide legal facts and documents to anyone interested in learning about the legal and safe donation of unopened and uneaten school cafeteria food, including a video tutorial. We also provide 8 easy to follow steps that includes several PDF files such as letters home to parents, USDA guidelines, and an agenda for the first meeting between the school and food pantry.
We also provide student recognition in the form of free T shirts, free certificates, and a free start up kit, as well as national student leader recognition on our website. You also receive a free online tracking tool that communicates your impact through digital shareable graphics that conveys how many meals have been rescued, and how many pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents have been prevented from entering into the environment due to not only your K-12 Food Rescue program, but your combined impact with all schools around the country.
We also provide free mentoring over the phone or via email, and our website has video tutorials on every subject related to frequently asked questions, including the video, Why Partner With Food Rescue? What Do I Get?
We also provide student recognition in the form of free T shirts, free certificates, and a free start up kit, as well as national student leader recognition on our website. You also receive a free online tracking tool that communicates your impact through digital shareable graphics that conveys how many meals have been rescued, and how many pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents have been prevented from entering into the environment due to not only your K-12 Food Rescue program, but your combined impact with all schools around the country.
We also provide free mentoring over the phone or via email, and our website has video tutorials on every subject related to frequently asked questions, including the video, Why Partner With Food Rescue? What Do I Get?
How can we get started?
When visiting http://www.foodrescue.net/getting-started.html you can view a video about acquiring USDA Food Rescue and Share Table procedures, ordering free start-up kits, ordering free #FoodIsNotTrash T-shirts for student leaders, ordering free certificates of leadership for students, and our free mentoring for either convincing your school district to begin a K-12 Food Rescue program, or implementing a K-12 Food Rescue program.
You can also reach to our office headquarters at 317-694-4006, [email protected] for more information, or fill out the contact information at the link provided.
You can also reach to our office headquarters at 317-694-4006, [email protected] for more information, or fill out the contact information at the link provided.
How do we get a free refrigerator?
In Marion County Indiana, Food Rescue has received a grant to purchase 14 refrigerators for 14 schools in need of storage space. If you are in a school district other than Marion County that requires refrigeration space that does not exist within the school, social media campaigns for a $500 refrigerator on behalf of a school have been found to be very effective for such a great cause that benefits the students and the community.
How do I order free "Food Is Not Trash T shirts, student leadership certificates, and start-up kits?
A free start up kit can be ordered once you have convinced your school to adopt a K-12 Food Rescue donation or Share Table program. Students must be using our online tracking tool tool and demonstrating verifiable leadership to receive a free T shirt, with a maximum of 3 shirts available per school. Anything over 3 T shirts can be purchased for $12. To purchase a $12 T shirt, separate from our free offer, email [email protected] to order.
Student leadership certificates are free and available to order only in March of each year and limited to 30 from each school. All orders at can be made at: http://www.foodrescue.net/order-k-12-fr-free-start-up-kit.html
A list of contents included in the start up kit can be found at the same link.
Student leadership certificates are free and available to order only in March of each year and limited to 30 from each school. All orders at can be made at: http://www.foodrescue.net/order-k-12-fr-free-start-up-kit.html
A list of contents included in the start up kit can be found at the same link.
How do I become an agency to receive food?
Food Rescue does not contact schools or school districts on behalf of food pantries to try to convince them to donate surplus food via a K-12 Food Rescue program, however, our online resources teach engaged citizens and students how to go about contacting a school and developing a K-12 Food Rescue program.
A food pantry or agency must be able to demonstrate their food handling standards to a school, as well as their ability to make regularly scheduled weekly or bi-weekly pick-ups, and to respond to the needs of any school.
The school must also already have an existing K-12 Food Rescue program. If no program exists, the food pantry or agency must be able to convince their school district to begin which will most likely require a "champion" within the school to move the initiative forward, often a cafeteria manager, teacher, principal, or engaged student.
A food pantry or agency must be able to demonstrate their food handling standards to a school, as well as their ability to make regularly scheduled weekly or bi-weekly pick-ups, and to respond to the needs of any school.
The school must also already have an existing K-12 Food Rescue program. If no program exists, the food pantry or agency must be able to convince their school district to begin which will most likely require a "champion" within the school to move the initiative forward, often a cafeteria manager, teacher, principal, or engaged student.
My agency isn’t showing up.
Once a school has established a relationship with the food pantry, the school's contact is always with the food pantry representative to solve scheduling conflicts or failed pick-ups.
Food Rescue will only recommend names of potential food pantries who may have interest picking up if a particular organization has failed, but only after the school has attempted to contact them to resolve the issue. By not getting in the middle of communication between the 2 parties, communication is improved, and it is more clearly understood that Food Rescue does not "manage" any portion of this relationship.
Food Rescue will only recommend names of potential food pantries who may have interest picking up if a particular organization has failed, but only after the school has attempted to contact them to resolve the issue. By not getting in the middle of communication between the 2 parties, communication is improved, and it is more clearly understood that Food Rescue does not "manage" any portion of this relationship.
How do I use the free tracking tool?
Our free online tracking tool communicates your impact through digital shareable graphics that conveys how many meals have been rescued, and how many pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents have been prevented from entering into the environment due to not only your K-12 Food Rescue program, but your combined impact with all schools around the country.
Simply log in the number of food items rescued and "submit". If you weigh your food, enter the number of pounds x 4, then submit.
Video tutorials on acquiring the free online tracking tool and how to make entries can be seen here.
http://www.foodrescue.net/free-online-tool.html
Simply log in the number of food items rescued and "submit". If you weigh your food, enter the number of pounds x 4, then submit.
Video tutorials on acquiring the free online tracking tool and how to make entries can be seen here.
http://www.foodrescue.net/free-online-tool.html
What calculations are used by the tool?
All Calculations are based off of food items that weigh and estimated 1/4 of a pound, which means people who weigh their food can still use the tool by entering number of food items rescued x 4. Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) are measured at 50% of 1 pound of rescued food. 1 meal is calculated to weigh 1.2 pounds.
I’ve lost my link and it isn’t working?
Please email our tool designer using this link. [email protected]
Can we do back of the cafeteria waste?
This type of food can be rescued, but we would recommend tackling "back of the cafeteria waste", defined as food that never gets served to students, after developing a plan to donate the "student tray to trash" food, defined as the food on their trays that is unopened and unpeeled that they decide not to eat for any reason.
What are the procedures for share tables and donations?
These procedures are all provided at our Thank You page at the end of The Open Letter to Schools.
How often will the food pantry pick up?
Food Rescue recommends a bi-weekly or weekly pick up, depending on the type of food being rescued as well as the volume of food being rescued. The day and time of the pick-up are determined between the school and the food pantry at their initial meeting or phone call.
The school isn’t saving milk. Why not?
Milk is considered to be "temperature controlled for safety" or TCS, or "potently hazardous food", or PHF. A few state and local health departments are more restrictive than the USDA standards.
Check with your local health department, but make sure they are aware that federal guidelines for safe and legal donation of unopened milk from schools exist.
Check with your local health department, but make sure they are aware that federal guidelines for safe and legal donation of unopened milk from schools exist.
How can I volunteer?
Fill out the contact form and say, "interested in volunteering". All of our volunteer opportunities are related to spending time marketing the K-12 Food Rescue program rather than serving on site.
All on site volunteering would done via the schools or the food pantries involved in K-12 Food Rescue.
All on site volunteering would done via the schools or the food pantries involved in K-12 Food Rescue.
How can a student become a national leader?
Send Food Rescue your photo and a blog post about your school food waste reduction efforts, and we will publish it on our website, and send you a free Food Is Not Trash T shirt.
For more information, visit http://www.foodrescue.net/national-student-leaders.html, view the video, then scroll down to the contact form below the student stories on the link and fill out the requested form.
For more information, visit http://www.foodrescue.net/national-student-leaders.html, view the video, then scroll down to the contact form below the student stories on the link and fill out the requested form.
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