This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Have you ever wondered what happens to the food at the supermarket that isn't sold? The latest statics say that 40% of food grown in the US is being thrown away.
Longmont Food Rescue (LFR) is an organization here in Longmont that is rescuing food from retailers and farms and redirecting that food away from the landfill by getting that food back into the community in a just-in-time fashion.
The Longmont Food Rescue is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization with the mission "to redistribute nutritious food that retailers have deemed food ‘waste’ to feed hungry, homeless, and low-income populations directly, while simultaneous reducing landfill waste."
They go to local grocery stores, restaurants, the Boulder County Farmers Market and local farmers to collect 'ugly' or unsaleable food to deliver to neighborhoods, senior centers such as Cinnamon Park and Village Place Apartments, and even hold monthly events such as Produce in the Park. The food doesn't go into storage; the food gets to recipients within the hour of donation.
According to Kelly Mahoney, Executive Director of Longmont Food Rescue, "We are building a more equitable food redistribution system here in Longmont, while simultaneously reducing organic landfill waste. We have a strict 'no questions asked' and 'no forms to fill out'policy when it comes to distributing the donated food. The food we give away is always free and you don't need an ID to receive food. There is an abundance of extra food in town; every day we still see grocery stores here in Longmont that have dumpsters full of healthy, edible food. At a time when 18% of Longmont families live below poverty level, Longmont Food Rescue is here to be a local food ally. At each of our grocery programs, we encourage folks to take as much as they can use."
Among a more thorough explanation of the Longmont Food Rescue's history and programs, their website http://
During the growing season, many of us have our own backyard gardens. Often these gardens produce more food than we know what to do with. Longmont Food Rescue has an answer for that too. They are trying to get enough people to sign up through www.FreshFoodConnect.
