[0:00] [Music] [0:06] well the food rescue program is a [0:08] program where students are able to take [0:10] unwanted and uneaten items that will be [0:14] safely redistributed to a company that [0:17] we have partnered with called basic [0:19] needs food pantry so either a milk a [0:21] piece of bread or some fruit they'll [0:24] just grab their breakfast that they want [0:25] to eat and we have to give them a fruit [0:27] or vegetable and instead of throwing it [0:28] away they just automatically go the [0:30] basic needs cart I would say about 2 [0:32] years ago we really started [0:34] concentrating on the amount of waste [0:36] that was happening in the cafeteria [0:38] since meals in the state of Minnesota [0:40] have become free we're seeing a lot more [0:43] students eating not only lunch but [0:45] breakfast with us we're up about [0:47] 25% in conjunction with that comes an [0:50] increase in the amount of waste so we [0:52] tried to figure out a way to use like [0:56] use the resources and at the same time [0:59] help the community and that's how the [1:00] partnership was developed over the past [1:02] 3 months we've donated almost 10,000 PBS [1:05] of food the food rescue program has been [1:07] an excellent addition to our Cafe [1:09] experience students are excited because [1:11] they know they're helping others um and [1:13] they also know that the food isn't going [1:14] to waste I think it's been successful [1:16] because people are helping other people [1:18] there's people in need that need food [1:20] and helping them by donating this food [1:22] is a big success what I love most about [1:26] this partnership is that it came from [1:30] the school district itself um it came [1:32] from nutritional services and they were [1:35] so passionate about not wanting to just [1:37] simply throw away this food they wanted [1:39] to give it a second life and they wanted [1:42] to make sure that it got out into the [1:43] community to the people that really [1:45] needed it and this is just opened us up [1:47] to serve the community in a whole new [1:49] way when we receive it we weigh it we [1:53] sort it and then we put it out on the [1:56] floor to be distributed for the [1:58] community and any body who needs food [2:01] items so I think it's really been a [2:04] wonderful collaboration between [2:07] nutrition services and the buildings and [2:10] really just the entire School Community [2:12] if people would like to help if they'd [2:13] like to show support um they can go to [2:15] our website at basicneeds mn.org um and [2:19] you can find out how to volunteer there [2:21] if you'd like to make a donation for the [2:23] mission here [2:26] [Music]