nothin A Pioneer Offers Food Reclamation Tips | New Haven Independent

A Pioneer Offers Food Reclamation Tips

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Handler at Gateway.

Activist Eric Handler dipped his feet in an ocean of problems” when he set about trying to reclaim wasted food for hungry people to eat.

Handler recounted that challenge in a one-hour keynote speech at a New Haven Reclamation and Redistribution Summit held at Gateway Community College Monday afternoon. He has dedicated his career to dismissing myths surrounding waste food collection and getting officials to work together.

New Haven is exploring setting up some kind of food reclamation program inspired by those in other communities like Washington, D.C., and Orange County, California.

If a restaurant overcooks a dozen meals, and, a few blocks away, a couple households are starving, why don’t caterers, instead of dumping all of them, harness the waste and deliver to the needy?

The answer is two-fold, answered Handler, a co-founder the Waste Not Orange County Coalition. Waste Not O.C., a private-public partnership, recovers wasted food, identifies needy people and directs them to food resources.

Restaurant owners are afraid of bearing the consequences of food poisoning, and are concerned that the health department won’t allow food recovery, he said. The health department, on the other hand, is reluctant to undertake a project that lies outside of its regulatory responsibilities.

We’re gonna stay in our lane,” health regulators told Handler. Agencies often have too many duties on their plates, and tend to focus on the typical work.

To fight the stigma, Handler convinced Mike Haller, a health inspector who carries out restaurant inspections, to produce a publicity video. Haller endorsed the initiative, and helped produce a one-page information bulletin titled The Facts to Know When Donating Food.”

Handler and his team started a pilot program in Anaheim and Orange, CA. Since July 2014, Waste Not O.C. has collected 259 tons of food. After hearing about Handler’s work, Northgate Market donated 58,000 meals to Orange County Food Bank.

During the day, existing food banks will collect food, both perishable and non-perishable, to deliver to nearest pantries.The pantries will then be in charge of distributing the meals. But late-night pick-ups have always been a problem confronting food reclamation. Handler solved the challenge by partnering with Yellow Cab, which has contributed 540 cab rides to Waste Not O.C.

Handler said a key to the program lies in getting public health and environmental health departments work hand in hand.

If you put your personal agenda aside, and are passionate and driven to end hunger, there’s not a political hurdle you can’t overcome. This is the proof.” Handler encouraged the audience, whose members largely hailed from health care and food industries.

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