America has a problem with food waste, with 30-40% of perfectly good food going to landfills. We also have a problem with childhood hunger, in which nearly 1 in 6 children have families struggling to feed them.
That's why a new trend popping up in elementary schools is making waves for helping solve both of those problems in a single step.
They're called "share tables" and the idea is incredibly simple.
Each class or lunchroom has a designated table, where children can place the items they don't want to eat that day.
Cartons of milk, apples, yogurt, whatever a child doesn't want, for whatever reason, is allowed.
Any kid that sees something they'd like is free to pick up anything from the table.
Because the share table is open to all students, there isn't a stigma associated with taking food, so children in need don't feel pressured to abstain.
As for what's leftover at the end of the day, many schools partner with local charities or food banks so that nothing is wasted.
Other schools send the food home with particular children that they know could use a bit of help at home.
Due to the USDA rules for the school lunch program, all students are required to take a certain amount of food, even if they're not hungry, and it's forbidden for food to be reused or redistributed the next day.
That's why the share tables are such a great idea. Schools are required to get rid of uneaten food at the end of the day, making them a large culprit in food waste.
Instead, the share tables are helping kids and families in need, while also keeping all those uneaten apples out of the landfills.
SHARE this story with all your friends and maybe you can make share tables happen at your local school!
0 comments: