The 43rd annual KDKA-TV Türkiye Fund is underway. Each Wednesday from now till Thanksgiving, we'll share tales about why your donations to the Turkey Fund are so essential.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Larger Pittsburgh Neighborhood Meals Financial institution's rescue and restoration efforts are serving to to feed folks all through the realm.
“Greater than 30 p.c of the meals produced in the USA is wasted,” stated Kurt Lindsey, meals restoration coordinator for the Larger Pittsburgh Neighborhood Meals Financial institution.
And with so many individuals residing with meals insecurity, the meals financial institution needed to discover a technique to rescue a few of that meals. It's known as the Neighborhood Desk.
There are 400 donors in this system. Every donor is assigned companies of their neighborhood, reminiscent of shelters, soup kitchens and Meals on Wheels, the place they will donate extra meals.
“On a typical day, in our 11-county service space, we decide up 55,000 kilos of meals,” Lindsey stated.
They supply their meals from native eating places, farms, and even senior houses.
“Our purpose has at all times been to not waste a whole lot of meals, but it surely's inevitable that this can occur,” stated John Rizzo, director of dietary companies for UPMC Senior Communities.
So as a substitute of throwing away leftovers or leftovers, they hold them.
“We simply freeze what's left over and suppose it's a pleasant factor, but it surely's not one thing we actually have sufficient to do the rest with,” Rizzo stated.
The meals is then picked up and delivered.
Rizzo added, “I feel over the course of the final 10 years, UPMC Senior Communities has donated sufficient meals for about 100,000 meals.”
Burgatory is likely one of the native restaurant teams taking part in the neighborhood desk.
“Since 2012, we have now donated greater than 38,000 kilos, which is equal to about 32,000 meals,” stated Brad Kohut, Burgatory's vice chairman of restaurant growth.
As soon as a month, Burgatory makes 25 to 50 burgers and donates them, together with toppings and buns. Burgatory additionally consists of recent salads and do-it-yourself fries.
Kohut added: “They get an actual meal.”
Burgatory's seven native eating places are taking part.
“We care concerning the neighborhood. We care about folks. It's not nearly placing burgers on the desk. It's about doing the fitting factor on any given day, and we try this with the folks round us,” Kohut stated.
Then, there's Apple Fort in New Wilmington.
“I'm the sixth era on the farm. We've been rising apples right here since 1861,” stated Apple Fort proprietor Steve Johnston.
After 163 years of progress, Apple Fort has a reasonably good concept of how a lot it will probably promote. As an alternative of losing the remaining, he donates it to the Neighborhood Desk.
“This yr, we're going to have a glut of Fuji apples. So as a substitute of simply dropping them or simply throwing them away, we will ship them to the Larger Pittsburgh Neighborhood Meals Financial institution and they’ll distribute them to those that want them,” Johnston stated.
Apple Fort has been a part of this system for nearly 15 years and has been rising its donations annually. In complete, he donates about 125,000 kilos a yr of apples and candy corn and infrequently winter squash.
Johnston added, “Partnering with the Larger Pittsburgh Neighborhood Meals Financial institution has been a blessing to us and we’re so grateful to be a blessing to others.”
And whereas the Neighborhood Desk program is exclusive, it’s only a fraction of the meals rescue and restoration work the meals financial institution does. Most of it comes from native grocery shops.
“For instance, grocery shops don't promote all of the meals they’ve on their cabinets. And once they take it off the cabinets, it's often nonetheless wholesome, nutritious meals that they don't wish to throw away. So, that's the place we are available,” Lindsey stated. .
Final yr, the meals financial institution rescued greater than 20.four million kilos of meals by way of Neighborhood Desk and retail packages.
Lindsey says she not solely helps these in want, however she additionally helps the surroundings.
“When meals is thrown right into a landfill and begins to spoil, it releases greenhouse fuel emissions, contributing to local weather warming. For each meals donated, we will calculate the environmental impression of donating it as a substitute of throwing it away. get it out,” Lindsey stated.
Final yr alone, utilizing donation partnerships, Lindsey stated the meals financial institution averted meals waste-related emissions equal to taking four,000 automobiles off the roads all yr.
Lindsey stated, “By partnering with our donors, we will each stop these emissions and use meals to nourish our neighborhood.”
And now could be your probability to assist by donating to the KDKA-TV Türkiye Fund. Go to any PNC financial institution and they’ll match all donations of $50 or extra. Or you’ll be able to donate digitally by texting “KDTURKEY” to 50155 or by visiting kdka.com/turkeyfund.
We additionally proceed to simply accept checks, as did the creator of the Türkiye Fund, Al Julius. You possibly can mail them to PO Field Thanks, Pittsburgh, PA 15230. And from all of us at KDKA-TV: Thanks!
John Shumway
