City awarded $500K food waste grant

According to a story on Patch.com this week, Culver City is to be awarded nearly $500,000 to combat climate change by eliminating food waste.

The City of Culver City, plus seven Los Angeles charities, were awarded a total of $2.1 million. All must now present strategies to eliminate the staggering amount of food that ends up in landfills in California each year – an estimated six million tons.

Meanwhile, the charity Feeding America says that 12.2 percent (approximately 1.3 million) of residents go hungry.

“Bolstering California’s food recovery infrastructure will help feed communities in need, create new jobs, and result in significant greenhouse gas reductions,” CalRecycle Director Scott Smithline said. “Our hope is that these programs will inspire similar efforts throughout California.”

The exact amount received by Culver City is $497,144.

Meanwhile, Food Finders received $100,000, Food Forward received $500,000, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank received $386,960, St. Francis Center received $100,000, The Midnight Mission received $100,000, Los Angeles Conservation Corps received 375,206, and Strong Food/L.A. Kitchen received 389,387.