The face of hunger in America has changed. Food insecurity affects a rising number of families in communities across the nation. Here, one in five Bostonians are classified as food insecure, and the number of residents participating in federal meal assistance programs is at an all-time high. At the same time, the influx of cheap, processed food items over the past four decades has contributed to the alarming spike in obesity rates and diet-related health risks, especially among low-income populations. Traditional models of hunger relief rely on the convenience of non-perishable pantry staples typically laden with high levels of sodium, sugar, and chemical preservatives. But why should we stop at non-perishables when there is so much fresh food already available?
In the United States, we produce 430 billion pounds of food, enough to feed far more than our population, and as much as 40% of it goes to waste. Even though there are over 700,000 food insecure residents, in Massachusetts, there is no lack of food available. Our work connects people in need to the bounty of unused food that exists in our community. We’re working to address the problem of food insecurity locally while simultaneously minimizing the astounding amount of food that ends up in landfills nationally. Food waste in the US is estimated at over 70 billion pounds each year, 95% of which went directly into landfills in 2012.
We’re also wasting precious natural resources in the production and subsequent trashing of this food. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the production of food that ultimately goes to waste in America accounts for 25% of the nation’s total freshwater use and over 300 million barrels of oil every year.
Additionally, $750 million in tax dollars are spent annually to incinerate discarded food, and the value of that food is over $165 billion. While the numbers are shocking, the message is clear: there is enough food out there to feed those in need, and Lovin’ Spoonfuls is here to help.
In addition to our direct distribution services, we work to foster increased awareness of the ongoing issues of food waste and food insecurity in our local community by educating the public and serving as a local platform for Boston to join the national conversation on food waste. We have an extremely strong and dedicated community of advocates in the Boston area that support us by participating in our program, attending events, helping us raise awareness, and donating their time, money, and resources to our cause.
