Two Goals, One App: Tackling Food Waste and Food Insecurity at UCSF
Have you ever looked at the leftover catering after a meeting and wondered if there was something you could do about it? The good news is that UCSF makes it easy to donate excess food, helping reduce food waste while also addressing student food insecurity.
As a nation, we throw away 40% of our food. Yet, food insecurity is still a major issue. Based on a
2015 study done by the UC Office of the President, 23% of UC students are considered to have “low” food security (reduced quality, desirability, or variety of food), while 19% have “very low” security (disrupted eating patterns throughout the year and reduced food intake). We’d rather our students take advantage of excess food instead of throwing it into the landfill or compost. It’s simple for departments to sign up as a food provider on the app, which sends a blast to students when there is food leftover after an event. Seeing the grateful, excited students headed toward the food after the notification is a rewarding part of the program. After picking up their surprise treat in the middle of the day, Kelly and Johnny’s response to how they felt about the moment:
happy. And so are we.