Jane Carroll, Associate Managing Editor
Graphic by Jane Carroll
Every day, perfectly good food can end up in the trash while people in the community struggle to access enough food. In New Canaan and throughout Fairfield County, organizations are working to change that by connecting excess food with people who need it.
One organization attempting to address this is Food Rescue US, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing food waste while increasing access to nutritious food. Food Rescue US uses a web-based app to connect food donors and volunteers with social service agencies that serve people experiencing food insecurity.
Food Rescue US operates a Fairfield County site that was established in 2011. In the past 15 years they have helped numerous people who are experiencing food insecurity. According to the organization, the Fairfield County program has provided 43 million meals and kept 51 million pounds of food out of landfills. It works with hundreds of food donors, social service agencies and thousands of volunteers throughout the region.
The process is relatively simple. Restaurants, grocery stores and other food businesses can donate excess food rather than throwing it away. Volunteers then pick up the food and deliver it to organizations that can distribute it to people who need it. Food Rescue US says missions take about 30 minutes on average and happen seven days a week.
New Canaan is also addressing the environmental effects of food waste. Planet New Canaan and the Town of New Canaan introduced food-scrap recycling at the New Canaan Transfer Station in 2020. Residents can bring food scraps to the transfer station, where they are transported to composting facilities and turned into nutrient-rich compost.
Food waste is more than just an environmental issue. When edible food is thrown away, communities lose an opportunity to provide meals to the people who need them. Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recognizes food rescue as one way to address both food waste and food insecurity. The state lists Food Rescue US as a food-rescue organization operating in Fairfield County and explains that these programs can recover perishable and prepared foods and deliver them directly to organizations serving people experiencing hunger.
For New Canaan, reducing food waste can therefore have an impact beyond landfills. Donating surplus food can help feed members of the community, composting food scraps can keep organic material out of the waste stream, and provide dense soil to those who participate.
As communities look for ways to become more sustainable, food rescue offers a practical solution: instead of treating excess food as garbage, it can become a resource. Through organizations such as Food Rescue US and local programs such as New Canaan’s food-scrap recycling, residents and businesses have opportunities to ensure that food goes to people in need rather than wasting away in landfills.
