​​K-12 Food Rescue Student Leader Hanna Wondmagegn's first of many television interviews WSOCTV in Charlotte NC.

In April, New Augusta South Elementary School became the Food Rescue pilot school for Pike Township. The program has been an instant success thanks to an engaged and proactive Food Service Director and staff, a caring Principal and administration and one passionate teacher who took the lead to engage students and get the SLEI (Student Led Entrepreneurial Initiative) up and running. New Augusta South began collecting an astounding 2,600+ items a week--so many Second Helpings had to add a second weekly pickup! Now that food is nourishing those in need in the community instead of feeding a landfill and ultimately harming our environment. It takes amazing teachers like Kristie Wallace to change food waste habits and inspire students to become leaders in the food waste arena. She and her students created a blog for us so you can hear from them first-hand why this is so important. Thank you Ms. Wallace and New Augusta South students and staff! We are amazed at the difference you are making! 

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The Power of a Question
By: Kristie Wallace and New Augusta South Students 

​Six years ago, I posed a simple question to a group of fourth-grade students. How are humans and the environment interdependent? Little did I know that question would spark a tradition at New Augusta South, an elementary school located in MSD of Pike Township.  This question sparked a passion in these students to learn about the environment and how to make the earth a “greener” place. Students wanted to share their learning with the school community and they started the New Augusta South Go Green Night. We have been fortunate to have so many community organizations partner with us to bring their message and mission to the students and families and to expose people to ways they can reduce their carbon footprint.

This year, I had a new question. As a teacher on perpetual lunch duty, I was disgusted with the amount of food that was wasted. I had heard about the Food Rescue program and suggested this topic to my class. Alonah, Sophia, and Tyonna took this topic and ran with it.
Alonah, Sophia and Tyonna’s point of view:
When we started studying this topic, we went to different lunches and started to count how much food could be saved instead of thrown away and tallied up those numbers. We came up with a list of questions and our teacher, Ms. Wallace, emailed them to Mr. Williamson at Food Rescue. Jennifer Brilliant responded to our questions. We were picked to be first school in Pike Township to do Food Rescue. Sophia thinks Food Rescue is important because if we didn’t rescue it, it would be wasted and go into landfills Tyonna said,”. "Saving food is a good idea because we can help people who don’t have enough food to eat. The fact that we are helping people and the earth makes us feel proud!" 

What our students are saying:

“It makes me happy to help people.” Gabby, Kindergarten

“I feel great that I am helping other people and we don’t have to put food in the trash.”   Vanessa, 2nd grade

“We do it because some people don’t have food.” London, 3rd grade

“It’s not good to waste food.”  Paula, 2nd grade

“It makes me happy to know some people are getting food and aren’t being hungry.” Olivia, 3rd grade

“We’re helping people who don’t have enough food.” Nevaeh, 4th grade

All students from kindergarten through 5th grade began participating in this program on April 11th. We rescue food from breakfast, lunch and dinner. Through May 15th, we have rescued an average of 600 items per day with an approximate daily weight of 163 pounds! Students are learning that food is not trash, and they are a vital part of this program. I am so excited that these students are learning at an early age that they can make a difference in their community!  Won’t you join us and begin a program at your school?  We’d love to help any way we can!  

 The story of Tana Fox in Pennsylvania continues to inspire..  Tanis used our resources at Food Rescue from the ground up to start a Food Rescue operation in her county, and she is in the beginning stages of launching a K-12 Food Rescue program.  

Tanis Fox helps set Table of Grace for Lawrence, Beaver counties
Jim Orr/The Ledger (Actual Story Link Here)

Tanis Fox of North Sewickley Township returns to her car Thursday morning with unsold baked goods from the Franklin Plaza Giant Eagle that will be distributed to the needy through her Table of Grace Feeding Ministry.

Posted: Thursday, February 18, 2016 11:15 pm
By Louise Carroll For The Ledger

Feeding the hungry and homeless is the mission of the busy new Table of Grace Feeding Ministry, which is based in North Sewickley Township and serves Lawrence and Beaver counties.
Tanis Fox of North Sewickley began the ministry in 2015 and said she found a nearly endless list of needs across the area. She begins her day, every day, picking up donated food and delivering it to food banks for distribution.

Fox delivers to the Holy Redeemer Food Bank in Ellwood City, the Ellwood City Community Partnership and food banks in Franklin Township at Lillyville Church of God and the Church of the Nazarene.

​Beyond the Ellwood City area, she delivers to the Portersville Food Bank, the Beaver Falls Salvation Army, two soup kitchens in Beaver Falls and the Crossroads Shelter for the homeless in the basement of Christ's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Beaver Falls.

"The more I got involved, the more I saw how many people were hungry or homeless," she said. "I have been reaching out to churches to provide meals and donate cans of food, like ravioli, that have lids that can be popped open.”

She also has asked churches for donations of personal hygiene products, such as fruit snacks and protein bars.

Fox belongs to Park United Presbyterian Church in Zelienople, which supports her ministry.
"I've never been hungry,” Fox said. “I believe I do it because of my faith. My walk with God led me to do this."

The story of the ministry begins in 2014. Fox's daughter, Cassie, was studying for her master's degree at Chatham University. As part of her studies, she learned about hunger in the United States.

“Cassie told me that in our country, 40 percent of food is wasted and one out of six people goes hungry,” Fox said. “It was laid on my heart to do something. I wanted to be more involved in my church, and I wanted to see more of God's work.”

At about the same time, she heard that Giant Eagle at Franklin Plaza and Kimmel's Bakery in the Ellwood City regularly had baked goods that went unsold. She asked and the stores agreed to let her pick up the baked goods.

Fox said delivering the food has become part of her routine. Also the owner of Fox's Pet Grooming in North Sewickley, she has a busy schedule.

"I've met a lot of wonderful people through this ministry," she said.

​More Information

The Table of Grace Feeding Ministry, under the direction of Tanis Fox, collects donated food to feed the hungry and homeless in the Ellwood City area and parts of Lawrence and Beaver counties.
It welcomes new volunteers and donations of food and money.
More details: tableofgracefm@gmail.com or 724-584-2966.

Very exciting day for Food Rescue!  Our former chapter president, Mike Cookman, founder of The Food Recovery Group, is pictured here with one of our most successful K-12 Food Rescue students that we have mentored delivered since developing our K-12 Food Rescue resources.  Hanna delivered a TEDx talk in Charlotte Mecklenburg High School today on Earth Day.  A video will be forthcoming in the future, but we are very proud of 16 year old Hanna Wondmagegn for starting the food recovery movement in her school district, and for the exciting opportunities that are ahead for her as she attempts to sway the entire state of North Carolina to adopt K-21 Food Rescue policies in all North Carolina school cafeterias.  Way to go Hanna and Mike for changing the world!