The Regional Food Bank has several initiatives that help reduce food waste, minimize our impact on the environment, and help save the environment.
Retail Rescue
The Regional Food Bank works with grocers to recover these otherwise expensive and difficult to obtain items such as meat, dairy, and produce – allowing food insecure residents throughout Northeastern New York to prepare well-balanced, nutritious meals for themselves and their families.
In 2024:
- 13.7 million pounds of food were rescued, the equivalent of 11.4 million meals
- 241 individual stores across 19 retailers participated
- 124 Retail Partner Agencies (RPAs) pick up from stores in areas primarily outside the Food Bank’s truck routes
Click here to read more about this program.
Once the food arrives at one of our distribution centers, volunteers sort it. From fresh produce to canned goods, much of it gets sent to our agency partners and into the hands of neighbors in need.
Some, however, isn’t safe for human consumption. Any fresh produce that we don’t send to our neighbors in need goes to local farmers and animal recovering specialists, who keep the produce in the food chain by using it to feed livestock and recovering animals. Check out some pictures below of our animal friends enjoying the food.
Any packaged goods that can’t be sent to our partners, gets re-routed to an agri-recycle partner. This company separates the packaging from the food and then recycles the packaging. The food gets added to compost, creating nutrient-rich soil and dirt. This then goes to gardens, farms, and anyone else who needs this type of material to grow flowers and vegetables.
Did You Know?
Nearly 40% of the U.S. food supply ends up in the landfill each year. Food banks throughout the country are leading the way on reducing this food waste and getting more food into the hands of our neighbors in need. We’re also working every day to reduce our impact on the environment to ensure the planet is a safe place to live for our children’s children.
Freight Farm
Our Freight Farm, sponsored by Broadview Federal Credit Union, allows us to hydroponically grow leafy greens year-round, all of which goes directly to neighbors in need. And, we did this in a trailer, saving soil, space, and making it possible to grow year-round.
Reducing Our Effect on the Environment
Like most companies, the Regional Food Bank recycles cardboard, glass, plastic, and anything else that can be recycled from our operations. In addition, our newly opened Orange County Distribution Center in Montgomery, NY, includes a modern day, state-of-the-art refrigeration system. This system recycles waste heat that it produces and funnels it into the floor of the freezer to avoid icing and for safety. And, in the winter, it re-routes enough energy to completely heat the warehouse space. In total, we recycle nearly 1,000,000 BTUs of energy back into the building.
At the Albany County Distribution Center in Latham, the roof is lined with solar panels to support operational electricity usage. In addition, there are eight level two electric vehicle chargers that are available for public and employee usage.
Finally, thanks to an ARPA grant, our Agency Relations Team can travel to their site visits in an electric car. This saves on emissions and on gas production.
Conclusion
The Regional Food Bank is committed to alleviating hunger and nourishing communities, but an important part of our mission is reducing food waste and creating environmentally friendly programs that support the work we do.
For more information, please contact us at greeninitiatives@regionalfoodbank.net.
Special thanks to our partners:
