Down The Pike And Onto The Plate
Down The Pike And Onto The Plate
By Chris Carbone
We seem to have found ourselves in an era where everybody is interested in and, in some cases, outraged by where our food is coming from. We want grass-fed and grain-free. Farmer’s market produce is preferred -- tomatoes firm and with beads of morning dew like tiny and tacit signifiers of their having been baptized in some contractual rite; the water an assurance from grower to customer that this is local, nutritious… a lifeline. Despite our best efforts (our exception being our fresh produce that we grow locally and give to our neighbors), the bulk of the food we give out is not donated but purchased. It is not always local, but careens down the pike of a food ecosystem that has been making its way to our neighbors plates for a long time.
Connecticut Foodshare is the main food bank for our state, and nOURish BRIDGEPORT is one of their over 650 partner agencies. Many of the shelves in our pantry, in addition to help from organizations like Food Rescue, Northwest Connecticut Regional Food Hub, as well as miscellaneous donations, are stocked with food purchased from them. There are two ways that the goods find their way to Foodshare. One, they connect pantries with their local retailers which, according to Carolyn Russell, Senior Director of Food Strategy and Procurement for Foodshare, is the ideal method. This being because it results in a shorter timeline and, thus, better quality of food in our neighbors bags. One of the obstacles, however, is that there tends to be a higher turnover rate with retail. This necessitates constant communication between folks like Carolyn and not just managers, but all department heads in a given store. It means more frequent visits and education in order to fortify the endurance of these relationships.
The other avenue is when Foodshare buys directly from retail distribution centers that stems from their relationships with companies like Whole Foods and United National Foods. It should be noted that the food purchased is food discarded by these organizations. However, they could be tossed aside for any number of minor reasons: the boxes are slightly dented, the item has been discontinued; it’s off-spec, has incorrect labeling…overages or past code; this last one a major misconception, according to Carolyn. A lot of people don’t know that it is not a legal FDA requirement to code food. It does not mean that the food is unsafe, but simply that the best taste and quality will be experienced if it is consumed before the stamped date. By some degree of this uninformed serendipity, many of our neighbors in need are able to get this food that others have deemed spoiled, but is actually perfectly fine to eat. So, if you are unsure about whether an “expired” can of soup will be accepted as a donation, Carolyn says, “just ask! The answer is probably yes.” In contrast to the retail connection route, less contact is required when purchasing directly from these wholesalers. The same people tend to be in these positions throughout the years, and a certain shorthand is developed.
Continuing down the wholesaler route, the food is then picked up by Foodshare trucks and brought back to any number of their facilities across Connecticut for volunteers to sort and pack. From here, it either goes to Connecticut Foodshare’s mobile pantries (providing food at more than 100 locations in a no questions asked, outdoor farmer’s market setting), or online, where partner agencies like nOURish BRIDGEPORT can purchase it. Tshon Cooper-Davis, our Super Food Pantry Director and Volunteer Coordinator, is tasked with this every week. But there is more to it than a few simple clicks. The food comes and goes quickly. Items that are put up can be gone in a matter of minutes, and she has become a master of timing this to make sure our Super Food Pantry is always stocked with the essentials.
One of the benefits of being a partner agency with Foodshare is that they implement a Grocery Purchasing Program (GPP) wherein they purchase high-demand products by the tractor-trailer load (things like peanut butter, canned soup, rice, etc.) and then resell it to their partner agencies at their cost; saving both time, money, and making sure no family misses out on the essentials. Another one being their value-added processes regarding produce -- for example, fruits that are not native to Connecticut. There is over $4 million budgeted for this program alone, with each delivery weighing in at 40,000 pounds…and this is delivered five days a week.
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While this customary food ecosystem has been in place for a very long time, recent cuts to SNAP pose to disrupt it. 25% of Connecticut Foodshare food comes from The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). This is part of what is called an entitlement -- a government allocation to Foodshare from the USDA that they purchase from farmers. 50% of this 25% of TEFAP food are what is known as bonus commodities. Examples of this category of food include frozen protein (which is expensive). These cuts will and are leading to the loss of MILLIONS OF POUNDS of food like these for Connecticut Foodshare and their partner agencies.
Once the food has been purchased, nOURish BRIDGEPORT custodians drive our box truck over to the Connecticut Foodshare hub here in Bridgeport for pickup. Any one of our dedicated and regular volunteers will sort through it all and stock the shelves back here at the nOURish CENTER. The sight of fresh oranges and apples; light slanting in and dancing off of them from the windows looking West down North Avenue, greets our neighbors as they walk in. What happens next is what this sometimes long and arduous journey of getting food from its source and into the hands of neighbors in need is all for: A volunteer and a neighbor; two vastly different people from different backgrounds, pushing a cart through our shoppers choice pantry; bonding, nonetheless, over that timeless and universal symbol of connection: food. What must happen next involves ensuring this ecosystem stays in place for many years to come…to nourish our tomorrows.