Specialty Food Association’s Post

🌟 Exciting Opportunity to Shape Food Donation Practices in Birmingham!   Hello LinkedIn Community,   We're thrilled to announce a vital initiative led by the University of Birmingham in partnership with local organizations. We are conducting a confidential survey aimed at businesses in the hospitality sector to gather insights on surplus food donations in Birmingham. See link to the questionnaire- https://lnkd.in/e8Jgvv8q 🔍 What's This About? This questionnaire is a crucial part of our research focusing on how businesses manage surplus food, their current donation practices, and the types of food involved. Your participation will provide invaluable data, helping to shape better practices around food donations. 🤝 Why Your Input Matters Your responses are instrumental in advancing our understanding of food safety practices within the hospitality industry. By sharing your experiences and practices, you're contributing to a collaborative effort towards enhancing food safety and operational excellence across Birmingham. 🔐 Confidential and Impactful Please be assured that this survey is strictly for academic and research purposes. We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of your responses. Only aggregate data, devoid of any personal identifiers, will be used in our research outputs. ⏰ Just 10-15 Minutes of Your Time Participating in this survey won't take much of your time, but the impact of your contribution will be significant! 📬 Have Questions? If you have any inquiries or need further clarifications about this survey, feel free to reach out to our research team:    Vicky Hemming: [email protected]    Helen Onyeaka: [email protected]    Taghi Miri: [email protected] We appreciate your time and eagerness to contribute to this meaningful survey. Let's work together to make a difference in our community! 🌍 https://lnkd.in/e8Jgvv8q #FoodSafety #SurplusFood #Hospitality #Birmingham #CommunityEngagement #Sustainability #ResearchInitiative Lisa Winnall Leticija Petrovic Sarah Pullen Vicky Hemming

As we wrap up Earth Month, take a moment to think about what happens to fresh, healthy food that doesn't get eaten following an event or other gathering. If you’re in Omaha and choosing where to eat this weekend or where to host an upcoming event, opt for a restaurant or food vendor that supports the work of Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue. Here’s why perishable food rescue is important: 🥦 Wasted Food: In the U.S, more than 30% of food available goes unsold or uneaten. While a very small portion of this is donated to those in need, the vast majority becomes “wasted food,” going straight to the landfill. 🥕 Food Insecurity: Food insecurity is about more than experiencing hunger. People often lack access to healthy foods, such as produce, meat, fresh milk and eggs – the exact types of food that make up most of the wasted food. 🌎 The Environment: Wasted food is bad for our environment. Not only is wasted food a drain on natural and economic resources, wasted food in the landfill creates harmful greenhouse gases adding to global climate change. I’m so proud to serve on the board of Saving Grace, Omaha’s only dedicated perishable food rescue service in our community that connects local food vendors to organizations that serve people in Omaha experiencing food insecurity. Check out the full list of our food vendor partners here: https://lnkd.in/g3R3wec8 Shout out to the awesome staff and my fellow board members for their dedication to the cause! Lenli Corbett Lonnie Michael Jr. Rita Clark Beth Ostdiek Smith Thomas Hall Andrew H. Wong Jack Holmes, CFA Anna Cramer Nathan Browne Ada W. Robert Kaminski, MBA, PMP

Did You Know each meal served during our #GivingbackFridays costs just  R14 per plate? As part of our external services, we focus extensively on food security. #GivingBackFridays is our weekly dedication to serving a hot, nutritious meal to those in need in our community. Currently, our #GivingBackFridays costs R7000 per week.  We serve about 500 people, which comes down to R14 per plate served. A little does go a long way, and although rising food prices continue to affect our budget, we work hard to stretch every rand by negotiating with grocery suppliers to get the lowest prices on food. How You Can Help: Your contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. Here's how you can help us continue serving our community: Donate Food: Our soup kitchen menu and food quantities for #givingbackfridays are available on request. DM or email us [email protected] Sponsor a #GivingBackFriday: Every rand donated goes directly towards purchasing food and supplies. A SARS section 18A certificate can be issued. Get involved, and let's work together to eliminate hunger in our communities. #GivingBackFridays #CommunityOutreach #foodsecurity https://lnkd.in/dmiT6vGa

This week of National Food Safety Awareness Month, we're celebrating YOU, our incredible readers! Your support keeps Food Safety News on the front line, providing trusted food safety information that impacts countless lives. Here's how: Our team works tirelessly to: • Investigate: We go behind the scenes to uncover food safety concerns. • Educate: Our articles provide clear, actionable information for everyone. • Empower: You make informed choices about the food you eat! Help us keep this community thriving! Donate Today - https://lnkd.in/eK8iqyrb What’s the most pressing food safety issue you think our team should investigate next? #FoodSafetyMonth #FoodSafetyNews

We work with many non-profits that in some form handle or distribute food, which can pose a significant risk of contamination making them liable. Learn 6 food safety best practices below 👇 https://lnkd.in/gx42CEnh

The first Friday of September is National Food Bank Day, where food banks accross the UK try to raise awareness , ahead of the winter months, of this much needed and relied on service for many. According to #TheTrussellTrust the below is a list of the most needed items - Food UHT milk Tinned meat (hotdogs, meatballs etc.) Tinned fish Tinned fruit Sponge/rice puddings Coffee (small jars) Long-life juice Pasta sauce Tinned veg (potatoes, carrots, green beans, tomatoes) Tinned meals (spaghetti, chicken or veg curries, chilli) Tinned soup Jam and spreads Non-food items Shower gel Shampoo/conditioner Deodorant Toilet rolls Washing up liquid Laundry detergent pods Wishing all food banks accross the UK a very productive National Food Day and the ongoing support from those that can help, accross the winter months #Nationalfoodbankday2024 #foodbanks #charity #costofliving #volunteering #foodpoverty

Most people buy what they think food pantry users want, but have never asked them. If you help families, single people, foster youth and the homeless, this list can help better tailor your donations! Some tips and guidance if you donate to food pantries derived from feedback by those who use them: 1. Everyone donates Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and buttr which is hard to get from regular food banks. 2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal which they also get a lot of. 3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles. 4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops. 5. Oil is a luxury but needed for Rice a-Roni which they also get a lot of. 6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Christmas gift. 7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care. 8. Sugar and flour are treats. 9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores. 10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growng can be easy for some. 11. They rarely get fresh meat. 12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch. 13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef. 14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread. 15. Butter or margarine is nice too. 16. Eggs are a real commodity. 17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake. 18. Dish Soap / Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated. 19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that. 20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing. 21. Expired food is not acceptable. Even canned food. Also, please consider donating dog and cat food. Some people have hit a temporary low point and don’t want to give up their pets but find they have to choose to feed themselves or their pets.

Repost: "So, I spoke to people getting food at a food bank and here are some things I learned from those in need: 1. Everyone donates Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter which is hard to get from regular food banks. 2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal which they also get a lot of. 3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles. 4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops. 5. Oil is a luxury but needed for Rice a-Roni which they also get a lot of. 6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Christmas gift. 7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care. 8. Sugar and flour are treats. 9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores. 10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some. 11. They rarely get fresh meat. 12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch. 13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef. 14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread. 15. Butter or margarine is nice too. 16. Eggs are a real commodity. 17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake. 18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated. 19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that. 20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing. 21. Diapers 22. Wipes 23. Buns 24. Baked goods 25. Potatoes 26. Nuts 27. Seeds for eating or cooking 28. Raisins 29. Dishwashing pods 30. Rags and cleaning supplies 31. Pet food 32. Pet supplies In all the years I have donated food at the Holidays, I bought what I thought they wanted, but have never asked. I am glad I did. If you are helping a Family this Christmas, maybe this can help you tailor it more. It does for me!"

Learn how Foodlink revolutionized its data collection with Jotform Enterprise, boosting efficiency and helping feed more communities! 🍽️ A powerful case study on nonprofit impact & streamlined operations. #NonProfit Check it out👇 https://ow.ly/MGhz50TxfRH

Food donors like Savencia Cheese, Four Seasons Produce, and Little Potato Company so generously give us their excess food, so that we can funnel it to those who need a hand up. Check out more of the process in the photos! Four Seasons Produce The Little Potato Company Ltd SAVENCIA #blessingsofhope #endhungernow #endhungertogether #fooddonation