Food Donation

Schools Can Donate Leftover Food!

Unused school lunch and breakfast food can be donated! Although leftover foods may contain USDA donated items, the USDA Western Region Office and the Nutrition Services Division of the California Department of Education have determined that leftover foods may be donated to charitable feeding programs rather than be discarded.[1]

• As a result of district-wide food recovery program in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 4,000 pounds of food are recovered each month from 20 participating schools. This means approximately 20 tons of food waste are recovered each year, resulting in avoided disposal costs and additional assistance to the needy.  Many other schools have also had successful programs.

A majority of what students throw away includes packaged food or fresh whole fruits and vegetables.  These foods can be placed on a donation table or in a reuse box. Reusable food may not require additional handling because other hungry students may choose to make an immediate selection.

Excess prepared food that is not served may be donated to charitable organizations, soup kitchens, convalescent homes, childcare centers and other facilities. Some donation recipients may pick up the food for same day distribution. Collection staff are trained on how to handle the food to minimize any possibility of food-borne illness, and this has generally not been a problem.  Often, there are questions or concerns regarding liability; however, the Good Samaritan Law protects food donors by limiting food donor liability to gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

Benefits

• Keeps usable food out of the waste stream
• Reduces disposal costs
• Feeds hungry people in your community
• The donation project can be incorporated into the school curriculum (e.g. civics, social sciences)

How to Get Started

1. Obtain approval from district administration.
2. Determine the types and quantities of excess foods.  Determine if there is enough prepared food to take to a charitable organization. (Note: If there is routinely too much prepared food, kitchen staff may need to reassess the types or quantities of food being served.  Remember waste prevention first!).
3. Contact your local jurisdiction for assistance (e.g., local resources, etc.)
4. Determine who will be the recipient of the reusable food (e.g. other students, after school program, charitable organization, etc.)
5. Establish a relationship with a food bank or food rescue program.
6. Establish guidelines for what will be allowed in the food donation area (e.g. packaged food only or fresh fruits, etc).
7. Set up the food donation area.
8. Educate all participants in the program including school principals, cafeteria staff, teachers and students.
9. Monitor the program and make adjustments as necessary.

Factors for Successful Implementation

• Anticipate potential barriers and build solutions into your strategy. For example, some schools may have a no sharing policy. 
  In this case reusable food should be taken off-site to a charitable organization.
• Make sure copies of the Good Samaritan Law are readily available to all participants. Local food banks are familiar with this law.
• Check with the California Association of Food Banks to locate the nearest food bank or provide donation information.
• Involve the entire community: school business officials, faculty, students, parents, and community leaders.
• Make food safety a priority.
• Organize! Establish and maintain good scheduling and record keeping systems.

Resources

Food Donation--Save Money and Help Fight Hunger. Outlines financial and promotional benefits for businesses that donate surplus food. Includes contacts for food banks and food rescue programs as well as online resources and publications, from the CIWMB and U.S. EPA.

For a copy of the School Nutrition Programs Guidance Manual or to order publications, please contact:

California Department of Education (CDE)
721 Capital Mall
P.O. Box 944272
Sacramento, CA 94244-2720
(800) 995-4099

Best Practices for Food Recovery and Gleaning in the National School Lunch Program--This manual contains descriptions of school food recovery efforts that can serve as models for other school districts in the country that want to get involved in donating excess food to the needy.

USDA Food Recovery and Gleaning Initiative (Nutrition Program Facts)--This fact sheet covers the definition of food recovery and gleaning, provides U.S. food waste statistics, describes the initiative, addresses USDA nutrition assistance programs as well as liability and how to get started.

USDA Policies and Procedures for Gleaning (Food Recovery)--This resource includes policy for donating surplus produce to eligible food recovery organizations to help reduce hunger. It also describes methods to encourage agencies to participate in food recovery activities.

Bill Emerson's Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (Public Law 104-210)--This Act limits food donor liability to gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

Food Banks and Food Rescue Organizations by the California Integrated Waste Management Board

Footnotes

[1] From the California School Nutrition Guidance Manual, April, 1997.

Food Service/Cafeteria Home

Last updated: November 01, 2007