FOOD RECOVERY NETWORK

 

On Cornell's campus, our team began recovering food from Becker House Dining Hall in Spring 2014. Surplus meals from the dining hall are donated to the Friendship Donation Network, where they are redistributed to pantries all over the county.

The national organization was founded in 2011 by Ben Simon, then a Maryland University student, who sought to fight waste and feed people by donating dining hall leftovers to his local food pantry. Since then, the organization has grown to more than 198 college campuses, and has donated over 1.76 million pounds of food.

We recover at four dining halls on campus five times per week: Becker House (Monday), Cook House (Thursday), Okenshields (Friday), and Robert Purcell Marketplace Eatery (Monday and Thursday). Two to five volunteers go into the dining hall as it is about to close and package the food. The food is then picked up by a driver, who delivers it to Friendship Donation Network in Downtown Ithaca.

In addition to dining halls, we also recover food from other events on Cornell's campus as well as local farms (called gleaning). We also host other events focused on food waste, food justice, and food insecurity on campus, such as documentary screenings and speaker events.

We could not do any of this without the help of our large general body as well as volunteers from other organizations at Cornell including Alpha Phi Omega (APO), Phi Delta Epsilon (PhiDE), and the Pre-Professional Associaton Towards Careers in Health (PATCH). General body members are required to do one recovery per cycle and there are three cycles per semester. Any G-Body member who has been on at least one recovery can apply to be on the Officer Board. O-Board members lead two recoveries per cycle. We have G-Body and O-Board meetings each once a month and open E-Board meetings once a week.

If you are passionate about reducing food waste and fighting food insecurity in Tompkins County, join us!

Click on the Blue to apply!

Recovery Officer Application - STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT APPLICATION CYCLE

Recovery Officers are responsible for leading our dining hall recoveries. As a Recovery Officer, you will be actively managing and teaching your volunteers while directing your recovery to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Recovery Officers are required to participate in 1 training recovery per semester, lead 2 recoveries per cycle, and attend monthly meetings with other FRN officers.
Preferred Qualifications (not required): Has attended at least 1-2 recoveries during time in FRN
Training will occur prior to your first solo recovery (within the limits of the requirements stated above), so we encourage everybody with the necessary qualifications to apply even if you do not feel completely comfortable leading a dining hall recovery yet.

Director of Volunteers (E-Board) Application - DUE 10/29

The Director of Volunteers holds information sessions for new members, organizes the volunteer schedule for recoveries, and facilitates volunteer retention. This person is also responsible for maintaining contact with other volunteer organizations that volunteer with FRN. E-Board members are required to attend E-Board meetings and G-Body meetings weekly while also working independently on their assigned tasks.
Preferred Qualifications (not required): Has attended at least 1 recovery or meeting during time in FRN

Director of Campus Outreach (E-Board) Application - DUE 10/29

The Director of Campus Outreach builds and maintains relationships with other campus organizations working towards similar goals as FRN. This E-Board member works closely with the Director of Community Outreach to coordinate volunteer opportunities with FRN. Additionally, the Director of Campus Outreach organizes presentations in classes and campus organizations and manages FRN's Facebook Page. E-Board members are required to attend E-Board meetings and G-Body meetings weekly while also working independently on their assigned tasks.
Preferred Qualifications (not required): Has attended at least 1 recovery or meeting during time in FRN