I was chatting with a friend the other day and the conversation went something like:
Me: “… yadda yadda yadda … which would be perfect for Second Harvest … blah bu blah …”
She: “Wha?”
In the context of the actual conversation it was pretty clear that she was curious about the Second Harvest part, rather than the nonsensical filler, which I am honestly guilty of overusing. I was surprised that as a lifetime Torontonian, my friend wasn’t aware of Second Harvest, which I assumed everyone knew about. But that’s the way it goes with effective philanthropic programs sometimes. Too many good deeds go unnoticed.
Second Harvest — in case you haven’t heard of it either — is a Toronto-based organization founded on the ideal that nobody in the community need ever go hungry. In the words of its website, the group has grown to provide fresh and frozen foods for roughly 14,000 meals every day, and does so by collecting and delivering unused fresh food from the city’s restaurants and small grocery stores to shelters across the city.
I encourage you to read the recipient testimonials, but the site’s short video will also give you an excellent sense of how Second Harvest is bringing together industry donors and community recipients in its quest to help feed hungry people. To view the video, visit this page, then click on “Our Video” on the right-hand side.
If you attended this year’s CRFA Show, you’ll know that sampling food and beverages was a popular part of the event, as suppliers vied to get their new products into the hands and mouths of potential buyers. The Toronto Star described the food that remained at the end of the show as “major leftovers.” More than 18,000 pounds of leftovers from the show were donated to Second Harvest.
We did it, and you can too. Click here for information on how your foodservice operation can make a contribution.
Coming up tomorrow … the answer to a question you may have never before asked, but will forevermore.
