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Getting Started

Step One

Getting Approval

Set up a meeting with the school principal and the school’s cafeteria manager and introduce K-12 Food Rescue benefits.

Use the Open Letter To Schools Infographic at FoodRescue.net Review K-12 Food Rescue procedures.

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Step Two

Finding An Advisor

Find a teacher or staff member willing to oversee the program and provide assistance and advice.

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Step Three

Create A Food Rescue Team

Find a group of dedicated students that will help you run the program. Roles include collecting the food, counting the food, and promoting the program. Ideas can be found on Food Rescue's Infographic library at FoodRescue.net

Set up an initial meeting with your advisor calling for interested students.

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Step Four

Finding An Organization

Find an organization such as a food pantry with food safety handling standards and volunteer capacity willing to pick up the food each week.

Review school procedures for entering the building with the food pantry. Review the agenda and encourage both parties to ask questions. Establish main and back up contact numbers for both the school and food pantry.

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Step Five

Food Storage Equipment

Refrigeration: You can either get a new fridge donated or use pre-existing refrigeration.

Crates | Boxes: Having crates or boxes makes it easy to transport food from the cooler to the fridge, and for the organization to collect the food.

Cooler: It is important that while perishable rescued food is sitting in the cafeteria throughout lunches, it is being cooled.

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Step Six

Create A Plan

The plan should include: who is collecting the food from each lunch, who will fill the cooler with ice in the mornings, who will count the food, how will the program be advertised, and how will you encourage students to participate etc.

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Step Seven

Contact Health Department

Make a courtesy call to the local health department informing them the K-12 Food Rescue Program is being implemented using USDA written guidelines, and if applicable, state guidelines.

View the written Frequently Asked Questions, (FAQ's) on the Get Started link at FoodRescue.net

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Step Eight

You Are Ready

Congratulations! Your school is now ready to host a K-12 Food Rescue program at your school! Keep track of your school's progress through the K-12 Food Rescue Tracking Tool and send photos and a blog post to Food Rescue to inspire your peers to follow your leadership.

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Free Tracking Tool

Food Rescue's Free Tracking Tool is a great way to collect data by food items or pounds and receive attractive digital graphics to share the impact of your program in meals preserved, and methane gas reduction.

www.foodrescue.net/free-online-tool.html

John Williamson

Executive Director

jw@foodrescue.net

1-317-694-4006