‘Waste Hunger Not Food’ fights food insecurity with the help of schools
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The journey starts every morning at a school cafeteria.
When the bell rings, a lot of food is left behind from kids with a full stomach, but it doesn’t go to waste.
“Since 2018, we’ve rescued 711,000 pounds of food from the landfills,” said Joshua Rogers, Director of Nutrition Services at Greenfield Union School District.
Students at Horizon Elementary in south Bakersfield separate the food items they’re not eating. The “Waste Hunger Not Food” vans pick it all up, each day. The trip starts across town and ends at Hillcrest Seventh Day Adventist Church on northeast Bakersfield.
“We feel like this is fulfilling the mission that we exist as a church, being a benefit to our community,” said Thomas Garner, Associate Pastor at Hillcrest Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Just in time, families lined up outside of the church ready to fill their bags and carts.
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“We serve the neighborhood, 50 to 60 families, which represent maybe 250 individuals that are from this area, the east side of Bakersfield,” said Thomas Garner.
An area on the radar of helping hands.
“We are aware of the fact that a lot of our families are in need of additional help with food of course, but that represents a deficiency or a shortfall on their finances,” said Garner.
Through these partnerships, connected by Kern County Public Health, the needs can be bridged.
“When you see how much food is thrown away, not only in households, but restaurants and other places,” said Garner. “I mean, we really have plenty of food, we just have a very poor distribution system.”
If you want to contribute food or if you need food, call the church at 661-254-0001.
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