County Food Recovery Effort (Video)

We told you about a new food recovery program at the University of Maryland in September and now a County Council member is looking to start a similar program here in Montgomery County. Councilmember Valerie Ervin will hold a news conference in Rockville on Tuesday, October 9th to highlight this new initiative focused on creating a food recovery effort in the county. Representatives from the University of Maryland’s Food Recovery Network, Share Our Strength, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Maryland Restaurant Association, as well as representatives from faith-based institutions who serve the hungry, are expected to attend and discuss how this effort can help provide low-income residents with assistance and bolster non-profit community partners.

The news conference will be held in the Third Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville.

Food insecurity is a nationwide challenge. The Capital Area Food Bank reports that 40 percent of its clients in the Washington area must choose between food and other necessities like housing, utilities, medical care and transportation.

Councilmember Ervin participated in a food security panel in Takoma Park and was motivated to start a food recovery effort in Montgomery County when she saw the work that student volunteers were doing at the University of Maryland. Ben Simon and Mia Zavalij created a successful model of food redistribution called the Food Recovery Network at the College Park campus. The group collects food which would otherwise be wasted because it was unused by food services in cafeterias, from sporting events and special events (such as alumni gatherings). The Food Recovery Network then redistributes it to those in need.

Learn about the Food Recovery Network in this video:

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