Online match site for food rescue to connect Sudbury businesses with non-profits

Businesses that sell food can sometimes have extra left over at the end of the day, but now there is a new free online platform in Sudbury called FoodRescue.ca, that will help food donors match up with food rescuers.

Sudbury is one of four pilot sites in Ontario. Kingston, Niagara and Toronto are also taking part.

Food donors are businesses like grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, hotels, even farmers, who have excess food they can't sell, but need to get rid of.

Food rescuers are social service agencies that will use the food for their programs, clients or to help feed the needy.

Businesses can post to the site detailing what surplus food it has available and how much says Victoria Armit, the Food Rescue coordinator for Sudbury.

"The site will match that notification with an agency that is within a reasonable proximity with that business and has indicated that they can use that type of food and store it, and prepare it properly," Armit said.

The food surplus is distributed based on a first come first serve basis.

"Within that pool of agencies basically it's the first one that says 'Yes we can come and pick it up,' that is able to go and get it," Armit said.

Food exchanges haven't yet started. But Armit says both businesses and non-profit agencies continue to sign up to be a part of the program.

Food Rescuers signing up

The Salvation Army in Sudbury has already signed up says Major Bruce Shirran.

He says it's common for the Salvation Army to receive donations like this, but this food rescue program will support the organization from a bulk perspective.

"We'll be receiving foods that are preserved, food that can be used over long periods of time, as opposed to already prepared foods that may come in after special events or after restaurant meals."

No 'plated' food

Amrit says donations of perishable or prepared food are welcome, but it can't have been 'plated' or exposed to public touch.

"We provide fairly thorough guidelines around the food safety measures that goes with retrieving, transporting and preparing the food," Armit said.

Agencies must have a certified food handler who will determine whether the food needs to be refrigerated, and for how long. The agency's kitchen will also be regularly inspected.

Armit says similar procedures will apply to the businesses who are donating food.

The lead agency for the Sudbury pilot is Better Beginnings Better Futures. It's working with Second Harvest, a large food rescue charity in Toronto.

Angèle Young is the regional manager for Better Beginnings' student nutrition program. She says it was a natural fit for the two agencies to work together on the food rescue program.

"As the system gets going and gets strong, and we can definitely see the benefits and the people start to use it." she said.

Young says food surplus can happen quickly in the business world.

"They don't have a lot of time to go running around door-to-door to find out what to do with this food," she said.

"That really fast interaction can happen and that food can get somewhere else where it needs to be."

FoodRescue.ca is expected to expand across the rest of the province this summer.

The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is providing funding for the Sudbury, Kingston and Niagara pilot programs.

That's because the food rescue program is also meant to help businesses reduce their environmental impact since the food surplus is directed to somewhere other than a landfill site.