Did you know that, in addition to the higher education sector, Food Recovery Network supports businesses and event organizers that do the right thing with their surplus food? FRN remains a student-powered movement, but under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, all food donors are free of liability if they donate food in good faith to a nonprofit organization. Now think about what that means; the hotel you stayed at last summer with your family, the pizza place you order takeout from, the catering company from your cousin’s wedding, and your favorite local cafe can all recover their surplus food and donate it to those who need it most in their communities.

FRN’s reach now goes far beyond universities. Food Recovery Verified (FRV), a program of FRN established in 2014, recognizes food businesses and events that recover their surplus food and donate it to a nonprofit. Food recovery is a crucial part of a food system in which 40% of food that is produced goes to waste while 1 in 6 Americans does not know where their next meal is coming from.

We want to introduce our network to the businesses and events that recover their surplus food and ensure their stories are shared. FRV gives these businesses and events that recognition. Any food business that recovers food at least once a month and donates to a nonprofit organization qualifies to become verified. FRV accounts, which now span 15 sectors, across 32 states, are changing the way businesses, employees, and consumers perceive food waste.

FRN is growing thanks to the constant support of passionate college students and the hard work put in by nearly 100 verified accounts across the nation. In the coming months, we will be featuring stories on our blog that highlight various Food Recovery Verified accounts and events. Stay tuned to learn more about these incredible businesses and events and the organizations where they donate their surplus food! If you know of a great business or event doing the right thing with their surplus food, or want to learn more about starting a recovery program, reach out to us at foodrecoveryverified@foodrecoverynetwork.org.

Together, we will change the norm from food waste to food recovery!