On August 11, we hosted a screening of the award-winning documentary Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story at the House of Independents in our hometown of Asbury Park, NJ. The film provided a in-depth look at how food is wasted at almost every level of the supply chain - from the farm, to the grocery store, and at home.
We were joined by our friends from the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties & New Jersey Farmers Against Hunger, who spoke to audience before the movie and offered their perspective on how hunger and food waste are impacting our state. Our goal was to educate our community about the problem and inspire it to take action.
"(It was) a very informative movie," said Bob Sauchelli. "I think it's really surprising to find out how challenging it is not to waste food, but also what a great opportunity it is."
Khanyen Le said she already had a plan to cut down on her food waste. "I think I might buy myself a compost bin, rotate my refrigerator more often, and buy food in smaller batches."
Of course, we're always looking for opportunities to collect food, and this event was no exception. Admission was free, but we asked everyone to bring a donation of 5 non-perishable food items.
No one showed up empty-handed. The generosity of those in attendance allowed us to provide over 220 meals to the FoodBank during the time of year when they need help the most. Our summer interns, who took the lead in planning the entire event, delivered the food themselves.
If you weren't able to attend the screening, why not hold one of your own? Just Eat It is a great film to share with family and friends, alike. You could even make it a double feature by choosing another documentary from Food Tank's comprehensive list. Knowledge is empowering, and these films will inspire you to join our fight to end hunger.
