Eco-Monday: DC Central Kitchen

Today we are taking a look at a unique type of recycling that has a huge pay back: food recycling. As a student from the University of Maryland it it often discouraging to me the amount of food that is thrown away on a daily basis from our school cafeteria or restaurant. Recently, I have learned about an amazing non-profit organization called DC Central Kitchen which combines food reclamation and production to turn recovered food into hearty meals for 26 communities throughout America. And if this wasn't sweet enough, the entire production runs on "Student Power". By partnering with high schools, colleges, and universities, DC Central Kitchen is able to use their kitchen space and employ the helping hands of thousands of youth volunteers. 

According to their website: "The best part is that students run the whole show. They plan the menus, get the food, run the cooking shifts, organize the drivers, and teach culinary skills to unemployed adults. Then, they keep track of all of the paperwork (so we know everything’s being done safely), organize fundraisers, develop curriculum, and recruit new students to get involved. They accomplish an incredible amount of work every day."  

The Campus Kitchen Project is only one branch of the total outreach effort DC Central Kitchen has taken on in their mission to use food as a means to combat the interconnected problems of poverty, hunger, and homelessness. To read more about their programs, volunteer, or get involved visit their website here.