UH Manoa becomes first certified Food Recovery Network Chapter in state

Heather Fucini and Joy Nagahiro-Twu collect food at UH Manoa.

Victoria Duplechain, Joy Nagahiro-Twu, Heather Fucini and Mariah Martino

LINK TO VIDEO AND SOUND (details below):  http://bit.ly/1Yuyual

“Thank you for the food,” said the young boy with a smile, as he sat eating dinner with his family at the homeless shelter and enjoyed the kalua pig and cabbage that had been prepared at UH Mānoa earlier that day.

UH Mānoa recently became the first and only Food Recovery Certified chapter of the Food Recovery Network (FRN) in the state. As the first organization in Hawai‘i to earn this certification, the university is leading the way in efforts to end hunger and reduce the negative environmental effects of food waste.  The certification was primarily the result of a group of students starting a UH Mānoa Food Recovery Network Chapter.

“I’m really excited about this program and it’s a great leadership opportunity as well,” said UH Mānoa Food Recovery Network President and student Heather Fucini. “I’m so excited that I can help the community while I’m going to school.”

At UH Mānoa, chapter members work with the Mānoa Dining Services team to collect surplus food from the on-campus resident dining facility, Gateway Café. Since the Food Recovery Network chapter was established on campus in December 2015, the team has already recovered more than 1,000 pounds of food from Gateway Café and delivered it to the Institute for Human Services (IHS), which operates homeless shelters in Honolulu.

“We are very proud to become Food Recovery Certified at Gateway Café,” said Donna Ojiri, general manager of Mānoa Dining Services. “We are happy to be working with the Food Recovery Network Hawai‘i chapter to do our part. We will continue to work with the Hawai‘i chapter to increase our efforts throughout campus.”

FRN is a non-profit organization that works with college students to fight waste and feed people by donating surplus food from campus dining facilities to organizations that fight hunger. Since its founding in 2011, FRN has grown to include chapters at more than 180 colleges and universities. These chapters have recovered more than 1.2 million pounds of food, diverting it from landfills and providing meals to those in need.

IHS Executive Director Connie Mitchell says she is very encouraged by community-inspired initiatives such as the UH Mānoa chapter of the Food Recovery Network and thrilled to be on the receiving end of the campus’ bounty.  “It can’t get any better than this -- recovering perfectly healthy food that would otherwise go to waste to feed hungry homeless families and individuals,” said Mitchell. “Savings to our food budget come at a great time with the expansion of our meal service to five shelter sites serving up to 900 meals a day.”

Nearly 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. is wasted, and food accounts for more solid waste than paper, plastic or glass. Despite this, many Americans still go hungry, with an estimated 14 percent of U.S. households facing food insecurity. That means nearly 50 million Americans are at risk of hunger each day. Food waste in landfills also significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions as decaying food releases methane, a far more harmful substance than carbon dioxide.

The purpose of the FRN certification program is to recognize and reward organizations for donating surplus food while also raising awareness about the benefits of food recovery. Earning certification through this unique program will help UH Mānoa further educate students and staff about food recovery while continuing to divert safe, nutritious food to people in need.

Chapter members say they would like to expand UH Mānoa’s program so other groups of students can help to recover food on other days of the week.  Said Joy Nagahiro-Twu, UH Mānoa Food Recovery Network vice president, “I hope that students actually get involved.  This is a wonderful thing for the community.  It’s very self gratifying and honestly is something where you can give back to your community in more ways than one.”

Fucini said, “I’m hoping that we are able to spread to all of the campuses here at UH and that we can make more of an imprint on the homeless crisis we are facing here in Hawai‘i.”

To get involved or for more information, please email UH Mānoa Food Recovery Network’s Volunteer Coordinator Mariah Martino at uhfrn@gmail.com.

Mānoa Dining Services is managed by Sodexo, a leader in providing food service and quality of life solutions for colleges, schools, healthcare facilities and businesses around the world. Sodexo is deeply committed to improving the communities in which it operates through sustainable practices and community outreach initiatives. The company’s Sodexo Foundation, which is dedicated to ending childhood hunger, was an early supporter of FRN, awarding the organization its first large grant in 2013. Since then, Sodexo and FRN have developed a partnership to raise awareness about hunger and food waste and to encourage participation by as many colleges and universities as possible.

About University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Dining Services
In 2010, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa established a program to provide innovative dining services that would satisfy the nutritional needs of the campus community. Mānoa Dining Services, part of the Office of Student Affairs, is a joint effort between Student Housing Services and Student Life and Development. It is a financially self-sustaining program; the revenue generated by on-campus dining venues is used for continuous program improvements and ongoing innovation. The dining program is managed by Sodexo, a world leader in providing services that enhance quality of life.

About Sodexo in Hawai‘i
Sodexo has a long history in Hawai‘i, providing food and facilities management services in the state since 1963, when the company was awarded a campus dining contract with the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Its presence has expanded considerably since then. The company now serves 23 client partners at 28 sites statewide. Some of Hawai‘i’s most prestigious and recognized education, healthcare and event venues have chosen to partner with Sodexo for on-site service solutions and innovations. Sodexo is a global organization headquartered in France and operating in 80 countries worldwide.

LINK TO VIDEO AND SOUND:  http://bit.ly/1Yuyual

B-ROLL:

UH cafeteria kitchen: 3 shots
loading/unloading car with food: 4 shots
In IHS kitchen: 3 shots
IHS exterior: 1 shot
IHS staff serving guests: 3 shots


SOUNDBITES:

Young boy IHS guest (:12)

“Thank you for the food!”

Heather Fucini, President, UH Mānoa Food Recovery Network (:09)

“I’m really excited about this program and it’s a great leadership opportunity as well.  And I’m so excited that I can help the community while I’m going to school.”

Joy Nagahiro-Twu, Vice President, UH Mānoa Food Recovery Network (speaking to other UH students) (:09)

“This is a wonderful thing for the community.  It’s very self-gratifying and honestly is something where you can give back to your community in more ways than one.”

Donna Ojiri, General Manager, Mānoa Dining Services (:09)

“It just is a good opportunity to use our leftover foods for other sources.”

LINK TO STILL PHOTOS:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/uhawaii/albums/72157666784691592/with/26291272876/