WASHINGTON DC: The 2nd Annual DC Food Recovery Week Oct 21-28!!! Tackles Food Waste and Hunger in the District
DC Food Recovery Week set for October 21 – 28
Wide variety of events focus on cutting waste, feeding more people
Coordinated by the DC Food Recovery Working Group (DCFRWG), this week of events will include something for everyone who likes to eat and hates to waste. Young kids can pick out ghoulish gourds at the Ugly Pumpkin Block Party. Families and service groups can go on a gleaning outing with the University of the District of Columbia. DIYers can attend a class on food preservation and foodies will want to hit up all the restaurants participating in #RescueDishDC – an effort to highlight the creative ways DC chefs make use of ingredients you might assume are waste. Please see a full list of events below; some require advance registration, details for which can be found at dcfoodrecovery.org.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, as much as 40 percent of food in the United States gets thrown away. Yet, 13 percent of homes nationwide are food insecure. The DC Food Recovery Working Group is made up of representatives from a variety of organizations tackling different angles of the food waste problem, from legislation to excess food distribution to composting. Some of the DC Food Recovery Week events are organized directly by the Working Group, while others are sponsored by affiliated organizations. All events will help people in the region understand and act on this important issue.
This is the second time the DC Food Recovery Working Group has organized a week of events. In May of 2016, the newly formed group hosted its inaugural week of action.
“Since we first created this group, we've discovered and created so many exciting food recovery initiatives and resources across the city," said Josh Singer, Community Garden Specialist for the DC government and co-founder of the DCFRWG. “During DC Food Recovery Week we hope to highlight all those amazing efforts while also demonstrating how every Washingtonian can have an impact.”
DC Food Recovery Week Schedule - Oct. 21 - 28 (All week):
RescueDishDC
When: Whenever participating restaurants are open during Food Recovery Week
Where: Participating restaurants throughout the week
What: Select restaurants in DC will highlight items on their menus that make creative use of something that people might assume should be thrown away. Head to Santa Rosa Taqueria for pickled-cabbage-core and portobello-stem tacos, ANXO for cider made from foraged crab apples, and Teaism for pan-seared salmon belly served with pickled collard stems. A full list of participating restaurants will be posted at: dcfoodrecovery.org.
Become a Food Rescuer with Food Rescue US
When: Whenever works for you (during Food Recovery Week and beyond!)
Where: Across the city
What: Want to do something about food waste and hunger on your own schedule? Become a Food Rescuer! Food Rescue US enlists volunteers to use their own cars to transport excess healthy food from businesses directly to agencies serving the food insecure. In addition to regular rescues, there is a large-scale conference in town during DC Food Recovery Week, which will require many additional runs. The challenge is on to recruit a record-breaking 50 new Food Rescuers during October so sign up at www.foodrescue.us (say #FoodRecoveryWeek sent you!) then claim a run and join us at the DC Food Recovery Week Happy Hour on Oct. 27 to celebrate.
Saturday, October 21
Ugly Pumpkin Block Party!
When: Saturday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Anacostia - check dcfoodrecovery.org for specific location
What: Pick out and decorate your very own ugly pumpkin. This event in Historic Anacostia will kick off DC Food Recovery Week by both bringing awareness to the problem of wasted food in DC, and celebrating the work that has been done to address this issue.
Sunday, October 22
Compost Cooperative Training and Volunteer Day
When: Sunday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: Howard University Garden, 2255 Sherman Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
What: Need a free, local, always-open place to drop off your food scraps? The DC Department of Parks and Recreation runs 50 compost cooperatives that fit the bill. This training will allow you to join any cooperative in the network. Training activities will include turning the compost piles, moving the piles from one bin to the next, sifting finished compost, and maintaining the
3-bin system and garden. Participants are welcome to take home a sandwich sized bag of DC's best compost (2016 and 2017 DC State Fair results)!
Please register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/compost-cooperative-training-and-volunteer-day-tickets-38666339061
Monday, October 23
Food Preservation Recipes with Food Recovery Network
When: Monday, Oct. 23, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Kenilworth Kitchen - 4321 Ord Street NE, Washington, DC 20019
What: DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is opening up their food recovery classes, a part of their Cooking and Nutritional Certificate Course, to additional participants who want to learn about food recovery in DC. You’re bound to find at least one new and favorite method of food preservation after leaving this lecture-based workshop. Learn the basics of homemade preserves - from canning to pickling - with Food Recovery Network Executive Director Regina Northouse.
Registration is required and space is limited- please register using this link:
https://web1.vermontsystems.com/wbwsc/dcwashingtonwt.wsc/search.html?module=AR&fmid=4238797
If you have questions please email Joshua.singer@dc.gov and Kehmari.Norman@dc.gov.
Tuesday, October 24
Food Waste and Sustainability at Large Organizations – Lunch & Learn
When: Tuesday, Oct. 24, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Where: National Geographic, 1600 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 (grab lunch and head to the north end of the NG cafeteria)
What: Attend a Lunch & Learn panel discussion with sustainability professionals to learn about best practices in limiting food waste and promoting food recovery at large organizations. The session will touch on menu planning, food recovery partnerships and tips on bringing these sustainable solutions to your company. Panelists will include Katharine Leigh, the Nature Conservancy; Adam Rubinfield, World Bank; Laura Monto, Sodexo/National Geographic; Monica McBride, World Wildlife Fund.
Space is limited so please register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-waste-and-sustainability-panel-tickets-38547442438
Waste Not: Food Waste, Resource Conservation, and You
When: Tuesday, Oct. 24, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Northeast Neighborhood Library, 330 7th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
What: This class will review the causes of food waste and ways to reduce it, debunking myths along the way. (For example, is the food you are throwing out actually bad?). The class will be led by William Reid who, in an effort to prove a point, survived off of food waste for over two years.
Please register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/waste-not-food-waste-resource-conservation-and-you-tickets-38668672039
Wednesday, October 25
Overview of DC Food Recovery & Edible Alternatives in the Garden
When: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Kenilworth Kitchen - 4321 Ord Street NE, Washington, DC 20019
What: DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is opening up their food recovery classes, a part of their Cooking and Nutritional Certificate Course, to additional participants who want to learn about food recovery in DC. The class has two parts:
Part 1: Overview of Food Recovery in DC: 6:30-7:30pm
Currently in the US, 40% of all of our food produced ends up in the dump, while 13% of all homes nationwide are food insecure. In this class, we will discuss all the different local opportunities in DC for consumers and businesses to recover their food and make a difference.
Part 2: Edible Alternatives in the Garden: 7:30-8:30pm
The majority of what we grow in our gardens is edible yet we only eat a small part of each plant. Do you want to learn what flowers are delicious in a salad? What stalks make a great hummus or pesto? What seeds are good pickled? Which weeds are more nutritious than your crops? Learn to maximize your garden harvests or supermarket produce by using the parts of your plants you didn't realize could be not only edible but delicious.
Registration is required and space is limited- please register using this link:
https://web1.vermontsystems.com/wbwsc/dcwashingtonwt.wsc/search.html?module=AR&fmid=4239825
If you have questions please email Joshua.singer@dc.gov and Kehmari.Norman@dc.gov.
Food Recovery Advocacy Evening
When: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 6-8 p.m.
Where: Teaism Penn Quarter, 400 8th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
What: It’s perfectly legal for businesses and restaurants to donate extra food to nonprofits, but a pending DC bill would make it even easier – and would provide tax incentives for keeping good
food out of the trash. Come to this “working” evening learn about and advocate for the Save Good Food Act, whether as a DC resident, an agency that receives food donation or a business looking to donate extra food. Ona Balkus, legislative counsel in the office of DC Councilmember Mary Cheh, will be on hand to answer questions about the bill. We’ll also have materials available about a new DC compost bill and other legislative efforts to reduce food waste. While you’re at Teaism, make sure to order from their special menu of dishes made from foods that would otherwise have been thrown away -- including a new item for #RescueDishDC.
Please register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-recovery-advocacy-evening-tickets-38668723192
Thursday, October 26
Gleaning at UDC Firebird Farm with Donation to DC Central Kitchen
When: Thursday, Oct. 26, 9 - 11 a.m.
Where: Firebird Farm, University of DC Research Farm, 12001 Old Baltimore Pike, Beltsville, MD 20705
What: Join us at the UDC farm to harvest produce that would otherwise go to waste in order to donate fresh produce to DC Central Kitchen. Produce gleaned by volunteers is used to make nutritious meals that are sent out to 80 social service agencies around Washington, DC. Firebird Farm is 30 minutes from the College Park metro station. Volunteers can provide their own transportation, arriving at the farm by 8:45 a.m. Otherwise, volunteers can meet at College Park metro station Kiss & Ride at 8:15 to carpool from the farm.
Please register here - space is limited: https://dccentralkitchen.org/register or contact Megan Genova at mgenova@dccentralkitchen.org or 202-400-2804.
RescueDishDC Happy Hour
When: Thursday, Oct. 26, 6 – 8 p.m.
Where: The Sheppard, 1337 Connecticut Avenue NW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20036
What: Come to this intimate speakeasy to celebrate all the delicious things we can make from food that might otherwise go to waste. Upon arrival, you’ll be presented with a limoncello made from lemon rinds. That night’s drink menu will also include a speciality zero-waste cocktail. Spirits expert David Strauss will give a brief presentation about how he minimizes waste behind the bar.
Please register early – space is limited and registration is required.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rescuedishdc-happy-hour-tickets-38667085293
Friday, October 27
Cooking with Seconds
When: Friday, Oct. 27, 1 – 3 p.m.
Where: University of DC Teaching Kitchen: Building 44, Room 110, 3303 Van Ness Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
What: In this hands-on workshop, participants will make tasty snacks with seconds recovered from our own farms as well as from a local food distributor. We will plan to make an ugly butternut squash/pumpkin mac-and-cheese, as well as smoothies and a stew based on what other produce is available.
Registration limited to 20 people, please register here: https://cookingwithseconds.eventbrite.com
DC Food Recovery Week Happy Hour
When: Friday, Oct. 27, 5 - 7 p.m.
Where: ANXO Cidery & Pintxos Bar, 300 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
What: Network with other food recovery enthusiasts and activists while sipping cider made from foraged apples. Meet other Food Rescuers, chat with champion composters and sustainability proponents, mingle with foodies who go to creative lengths to avoid waste, and get to know the people making sure no one in the District goes hungry. Even if you're new to the issue, we'd love to connect over cider to talk about what's next for food recovery in the region. ANXO, a #RescueDishDC participant, will offer happy hour specials from 5 - 6:30.
Registration is recommended, but not required, and can be done here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dc-food-recovery-week-happy-hour-tickets-38753756529?aff=es2
Saturday, October 28
DPR Cider Press Workshop with apple seconds
When: Saturday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where: Twin Oaks Community Garden, 14th & Taylor Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
What: DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is opening up their food recovery classes, a part of their Cooking and Nutritional Certificate Course, to additional participants who want to learn about food recovery in DC. Become certified to use and borrow DPR’s cider press machine in this two-hour workshop. Be sure to bring a jar in order to take home a serving (or two) of hand-pressed apple cider!
Registration is required and space is limited- please register using this link:
https://web1.vermontsystems.com/wbwsc/dcwashingtonwt.wsc/search.html?module=AR&fmid=4239974
If you have questions please email Joshua.singer@dc.gov and Kehmari.Norman@dc.gov.
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