PRESS RELEASE

Sept. 22, 2021

Local Chefs and Food Waste Advocates Join Together to Fight Hunger and Reduce Food Waste During DMV Food Recovery Week

Silver Spring, Maryland and Washington, DC — Manna Food Center’s Community Food Rescue network and the DC Food Recovery Working Group have joined forces to host a week of free, in-person and virtual events to show metro DC residents easy things they can do at home — and ways to support community efforts — to reduce food waste and increase food security in our region. DMV Food Recovery Week events will take place from October 4 through 9.

“The incredible range of small business, restaurant, nonprofit, and government partners involved in this year’s DMV Food Recovery Week speaks to our region’s growing commitment to create a more resilient food system that works for everyone,” said Josh Singer, DC Parks and Rec (DPR) Community Garden Specialist and founder of the DC Food Recovery Working Group. “The week’s line-up of events offer insight to the challenges– and opportunities– associated with wasted food and showcase ways to make the most of food by turning food scraps into tasty dishes, composting at home, and more.”

The week’s 12 events include workshops and panel discussions on topics including food system resilience, how to get creative in the kitchen and reduce food waste at home, and the future of food recovery in our region. The week culminates with No Waste, Big Taste: A Rescued Food Cooking Competition, where local chefs will compete “Chopped” style to turn ugly produce into culinary masterpieces before the eyes of community members in Downtown Silver Spring.

“The pandemic has caused economic hardship and food insecurity across our community and put a spotlight on the need for a more resilient local food system,” said Jackie DeCarlo, CEO of Manna Food Center. “DMV Food Recovery Week celebrates the important ways local farmers, food businesses, and community volunteers are working together to tackle the twin problems of hunger and food waste. I hope this week will drive more awareness of and support for the region’s efforts to feed more and waste less.”

Along with Manna’s Community Food Rescue and the DC Food Recovery Working Group, events will be hosted by: Audubon Naturalist Society, Beauty Blooms Farm, DC Department of Parks and Recreation, DC Department of Public Works, DC Department of Small and Local Business Development, Downtown Silver Spring, Dress It Up Dressing, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Institute for Public Health Innovation, Marriott International, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Northern Virginia Food Rescue, One More Plate, Passion to Seed Gardening, Prince George’s County Food Equity Council, Recycle Leaders, documentary filmmaker William Reid, RescueDish, Sandy Spring Gardens, The Eleanor, and  Zero Waste DC.

All DMV Food Recovery Week events are free to the public, but registration is required and people can sign up at www.dmvfoodrecoveryweek.org. 

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About the DMV Food Recovery Week sponsors:

Manna Food Center serves as the premier food bank of Montgomery County, providing food to 32,000 individuals each year and helping distribute rescued food to soup kitchens, food pantries and emergency shelters county-wide. Since 1983, Manna has worked to fight hunger, feed hope and transition recipients from a place of scarcity to prosperity.

 Community Food Rescue, a program of Manna Food Center, is the coordinated food recovery network of Montgomery County, Maryland. This program enhances the good work of businesses, individuals, and organizations that already recover and redistribute perfectly good food to people experiencing hunger.

The DC Food Recovery Working Group comprises a variety of partners from food banks, non-profits, and for-profits working on food recovery, DC government agencies, local environmental and sustainability organizations, and food recovery advocates. The Working Group promotes food recovery programs, organizations, and resources, and develops new food recovery partnerships, programs, and resources for greater DC.