40% of all food ready for harvest and produced in the United States never gets eaten

Americans waste 96 Billion pounds of food each year

Americans households waste an average of 25% of the food we prepare

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Annual value of lost and unused food in the US is approximately $165 Billion

Food disposal alone costs the United States 1 Billion each year

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If all of the food waste IN ONE DAY were gathered and placed in one central location, there would be enough food to…

Fill the entireRose Bowl

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Food getting tossed in the US accounts for ¼ of all freshwater use in the country

Rotting food in landfills releases METHANE, a greenhouse gas with warming potential that is 21x’s greater than carbon dioxide

Today, 62% of paper is recycled vs. only 2% of food waste is composted or otherwise recycled

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50 Million Americans are currently experiencing food insecurity

1 in 6 Americans go to bed hungry each night

35.9 million people live below the poverty line in America

12.9 million of them are children

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17.3% of Stark’s population are food insecure

That equates to 65,730 people 1 in 4 children in Stark County are food insecure

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Community Harvest was created to collect perishable and prepared food that would otherwise be wasted from local restaurants, caterers, hospitals and the food industry. This food is then distributed to local soup kitchens, shelters and hot meal program sites to alleviate hunger.

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Community Harvest was created through the combined and diligent efforts of the members of the Tri-County Restaurant Association and other concerned members of the community.

Its aim was to increase the involvement of the restaurant and food service industry by collecting excess prepared and perishable food and donating it to community groups serving the homeless and the hungry. Our inception began in October 1989 after “the Good Samaritan Laws” were passed in Ohio. These codes protect food donors and volunteers from liability.

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We transport food directly from donors to local agencies

We do NOT charge for the food we distribute

Our mission is executed by a team of volunteers and a staff of only ONE

All food collected in Stark County remains in Stark County

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Make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of food wasted in your home

Share information about Community Harvest with potential food donors

Patronize vendors and businesses who participate in our program

Support a Community Harvest Fundraiser Make a donation

◦ WWW.COMMUNITYHARVESTSTARK.ORG

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