Food Rescue Anti-Hunger Coalition

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

One in eight adults and one in six children in San Bernardino County experience food insecurity every day, not knowing where their next meal would come from. Hunger is a public health crisis because it contributes to poor physical, mental and social health outcomes, all of which lead to worsening health inequity already suffered by the poor. Ironically, up to 40% of food produced is wasted. The disparity between food waste and hunger must be closed. To solve the conundrum of food waste and food insecurity, a collective effort is needed among all stakeholders in the spectrum of food donation, distribution, delivery, screening, feeding and regulation. Food Rescue Anti-Hunger Coalition (FRAHC), established by San Bernardino County Department of Public Health Nutrition in 2019 aims to create a more just and equitable food system through cooperation and collaboration across sectors and counties. Its goal is to fight hunger, reduce food waste through food recovery by breaking down silos among agencies, and connecting the dots from food surplus to food insecurity. Members come together to share resources, to partner and to drive change. In less than one year, FRAHC has enabled the creation of the first-ever food distribution hub in Riverside County, facilitated receipt of funding, needs assessment-research, and innovative food recovery practices.