By ecoRI.org News
staff
We talk about compost
quite a bit at ecoRI News world headquarters. The benefits of composting food
scrap are many: increased landfill lifespan, decreased methane emissions,
reduced waste hauling costs, and improved quality of air, water and, of course,
soil.
While composting food
scrap is a great way to get rid of inedible food, many thousands of pounds of
edible food is thrown away daily in Rhode Island. Tons of bruised produce and
food that has passed its “use by” date, or has had its packaging damaged, are
thrown into Dumpsters and trash compactors behind Rhode Island stores,
supermarkets and restaurants every day. Even Rhode Island’s farmers have been
known to throw away food — mostly for cosmetic issues — that they may deem
unfit for sale.
According to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, more than 60,000
Rhode Islanders seek food assistance through the bank’s network every month. In
fact, 41 percent of the food bank’s client households have such limited income
that they must choose between paying for food or paying the rent; 43 percent of
those households choose between paying for food and paying utilities; 77
percent of all households served by the bank’s network live below the federal
poverty level — less than $22,000 a year for a family of four — and nearly one
of every three persons served is a child younger than 18.
It’s a shame that most
of the state's inedible food scrap winds up buried in the Central Landfill in
Johnston, but with so many going hungry and seeking the assistance of food
pantries, shelters and soup kitchens for sustenance, the amount of edible food
that makes its way to that anaerobic afterlife is tragic.
One local nonprofit is
trying to change that. We Share Hope was
founded by Stephen Martin in 2010. The goal of the organization is to divert
edible food from the Dumpster and put it onto the tables of hungry Rhode
Islanders.
We Share Hope is a
community of individuals who are committed to serving the common good. The
organization’s primary mission is to provide food to agencies that feed the
poor, distressed and the underprivileged. It provides donated food to about 90
public, private and faith-based organizations throughout Rhode Island and
southeastern Massachusetts.
“We Share Hope has one
motive, to feed the hungry. They do it logically and in a way that not only
feeds the hungry but empowers them to help themselves and others. WSH has
brought together several agencies, non-profits and for-profits with the goal of
helping the neediest of the needy in our community in ways they have never
envisioned,” says Sheryl Marshall, program director for Access to Community
Care and Effective Services and Support (ACCESS-RI).
If you are interested
in becoming a member agency, call 401-437-0073. If you would like to become a
volunteer, click here.