While chugging through the LA Times this afternoon, I came across an excellent article by David Lazarus addressing an upcoming State Senate Bill in California. SB 35, sponsored by State Senator from Long Beach, Jenny Oropeze is a watered down version of an earlier bill that was rejected after heavy negative campaigning by the California Restaurant Association.
What would the CRA be against? A law requiring that individuals and businesses be informed that it is their right to ask that leftover food from their events be donated to a local Food Bank or Food Pantry. As Lazarus points out, in a state where 1.3 million children go to bed hungry each night, it's nigh on criminal for 1.5 million tons of food to go into landfills each year from caterers, hotels and restaurants.
(Let's fill bellies, not land.)
At the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, where I was President of the board for a few years and volunteer for a few more, I was firsthand witness to how an effective partnership between restaurants and caterers can be easily and efficiently built. We even received a grant from the City of Santa Clarita to help us buy needed equipment for proper food handling and I believe they sponsored our training as well.
Lazarus's column inspired me to write Senator Oropeza, encouraging her to put some bite back into this second bill. If anyone should feel pressure in today's economic climate, it should be an industry that would prefer to waste food than find ways to use it to help those in need.
If you want to be an activist on this issue, too...write to Senator Oropeza (and your local Senator too for good measure). Here's what I wrote:
Honorable Ms. Oropeza:
I know I am writing from outside your district, but I am compelled to add my voice to that of David Lazarus at the LA Times regarding your developing legislation, SB 35.
As former president of the Santa Clarita Food Pantry, I have firsthand experience with the necessity and value of partnerships between restaurants and food pantries/food banks. We worked with several local businesses and the City of Santa Clarita to turn what would have been landfill into “tummy fill” for local children who made up over 50% of our client base.
The process to educate employees at the restaurants and caterers was easy. Food handoffs were scheduled cooperatively. Hungry children, seniors and adults benefited by being fed more nutritious and fresh foods.
Since I moved to Orange County, I’ve kept in touch with the folks at the SCV Food Pantry. This economic crisis has nearly tripled their client base over the past 18 months. Enhancing the public/non-profit partnership to feed hungry people during this time makes sense on every level.
Please do not bow to the pressure of the California Restaurant Association. If anything, in this public climate, they should be on the defensive if they try to undermine your timely, compassionate and foresighted bill.
Feel free to use any part of the letter in writing yours...except the part about being President of the Food Pantry. That would likely confuse the issue!
As a side note, it feels great to be an advocate on this issue again!
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