Founded in 2011 by undergraduate students at the University of Maryland, Food Recovery Network (FRN) is a national nonprofit that empowers young people to fight food waste and hunger by recovering perishable food that would otherwise go to waste from college dining halls and food businesses and donating it to those in need. To date, FRN supports 230 student chapters in 44 states and DC. It has recovered over two million pounds of food and over 1.6 million meals for food insecure individuals and families.
Support from the Critical Issue Fund will ensure FRN’s sustainable growth, national education campaigns, internal innovations and organizational effectiveness. It will also seek to advance prompt community collaboration and new solutions. FRN will equip the next generation of social and environmental leaders with the experience and awareness they need to create more sustainable communities, influence local business practices, and impact policy decisions.
Previous Critical Issue Fund Grant:
2017 - $100,000 (over two years)