Support Our Boston-area Food Heroes
They welcome volunteers and donations
Food Pantry
Needham Community Council Food Pantry
- The Needham Community Council Food Pantry serves over 200 Needham households each month, providing customers with food, paper goods, and toiletries. Items are provided by Roche
Needham Community Council’s Food Pantry Bros., Sudbury Farms, Volante Farms, Needham Community Farm, Houses of Worship, local schools, Scouts and Postal Workers’ food drives, social organizations, local companies, individuals and donated funds. The Greater Boston Food Bank also is a source of food.
Food Rescue
Lovin’ Spoonfuls, a food rescue organization
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- Headquartered in Boston, Lovin’ Spoonfuls facilitates the rescue and distribution of healthy, fresh food that would otherwise be discarded. Lovin’ Spoonfuls works efficiently to deliver this food directly to local meal programs and social service entities serving those in need.
- They receive local donations from Trader Joe’s, Volante Farms, Whole Foods Market, and Captain Marden’s Seafoods.
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Boston Area Gleaners Harvesting for the Hungry
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- Dedicated to rescuing surplus farm crops for people in need, they distribute high quality, local produce to food pantries by working closely with farmers, providing volunteer labor to harvest what would otherwise be plowed under.
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The Daily Table Retail Store in Dorchester opened in June, 2015
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- A not-for-profit retail store offering a variety of tasty and affordable foods, including both “grab-n-go” ready to eat meals, and a selection of produce, bread, dairy and grocery items, all at moderate prices.
- The store keeps prices affordable by working with a large network of growers, supermarkets, manufacturers, and other suppliers who donate their excess, healthy food, or provide special buying opportunities
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Farms
Envisions local solutions to the problem of unequal access to fresh, healthy food in suburban and other areas. To achieve their mission, they engage children and adults in activities that provide locally, sustainably grown food to the community, while inspiring an appreciation of how the environment is directly related to our wellbeing. Since 2008, the farm has donated thousands of pounds of produce to the Needham Community Council Food Pantry.
The Food Project has built a national model of engaging young people in personal and social change through sustainable agriculture. Food from their farms is distributed through community supported agriculture programs and farmers’ markets, and donated to local hunger relief organizations.
Resources
Documents
- 3R Food Waste 12/08/15 event information
- Food Waste Educational and Informational Programs
- Needham RTS Food Waste Recycling Program
Resources on the Web
"Food Heros" - Boston-area organizations working on food rescue
Living Green page on food rescue organizations | |
EPA's food waste prevention tips
Community food waste prevention toolkit. Check out ugly fruit and vege campaign | |
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Food Pantry at the Needham Community Council
Help provide food for those in need by donating or volunteering at the Needham Community Council's food pantry |
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Green Needham’s Reducing Food Waste program
Green Needham’s 10/22/15 program, "Too Good to Waste: Creative Solutions to Reducing Food Waste" |
Love Hate Waste
UK’s campaign to end food waste. Excellent tips. | |
Lunch Skins - reusable lunch bags
Some Lunchskins products are available at Container Store, Target, and Amazon | |
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RecyclingWorks Massachusetts
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts is a recycling assistance program designed to help businesses and institutions maximize recycling, reuse, and composting opportunities. |
Still Tasty - Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide
Keep it or toss it? How long do specific foods last; storage tips for fridge and freezer. | |
Sustainable America
A project of Sustainable America. Check out their “Resources” link | |
U.S. Food & Drug Administration Website on Food Waste
U.S. Food & Drug Administration Website on Food Waste | |
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WasteWise Wellesley
Town of Wellesley’s 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Working Group's information on food waste reduction projects. |