One of South Florida’s busiest feeding initiatives, Food Rescue US Miami, has launched a new program, Save the Food, aimed at feeding those in need in the community.
Four local restaurants – RED South Beach, Naomi’s Garden Cafe, Doce Provisions and Cafe La Trova – are participating by saving smaller portions of leftover rice, vegetables and proteins to create simple meals. Volunteers from Food Rescue US Miami will pick up and deliver those meals to the underserved in the community.
As an incentive and to keep this entire program sustainable, Food Rescue US is providing compostable sugarcane three-portion clamshells to each participating restaurant for free, says location director Ellen Bowen.
“While we provided over 60,000 meals as part of our COVID relief program and still offer 1X a month at Chef Creole, we saw the need to continue to feed those underserved in our community, many in smaller social service centers, like seniors, at-risk youth and families in need,” she says. “It is a big idea, and we hope to roll out to as many restaurants as are interested in helping feed their neighbors and save the planet by eliminating single-use plastic,” she says.
COVID may have showcased community hunger, but it’s still there and isn’t going away, Bowen says. The aim of the program is to get more restaurants involved and at the same time alert consumers about the environmental effects of single-use plastic. When they order takeout, she urges consumers to ask about the packaging.
“Education leads to action,” she says.
For more information, visit Food Rescue US Miami.
