Organizations awarded city grants aim to cut 30 tons of food waste in 2 years.
Eleven organizations in Milwaukee are set to receive grants through the city’s inaugural “FEED MKE” program. This initiative, which stands for “Feed Excess, Equal Distribution,” focuses on reducing food waste and tackling food insecurity.
One of the key goals of the Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan is to cut down on food waste. Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic expressed excitement during a meeting about the grant’s potential impact. The organizations awarded these grants will use the funding to improve food pantry services, invest in composting tools, and educate the community about food waste reduction.
The funding comes from a $400,000 federal grant sourced by the Environmental Collaboration Office. Currently, about 15% of what goes to our landfills is edible food. With the COVID-19 pandemic, FoodShare recipients in Milwaukee County increased by 14%. Many families in Wisconsin face food insecurity, making this initiative crucial.
Besides the $190,000 distributed among the winning organizations, the city plans to encourage local businesses to lower their food waste through a “food saver challenge.” Additionally, eight community composting stations are scheduled to be set up, which could divert about 100 tons of organic waste over the next two years.
Here’s a look at some of the organizations receiving grants:
Food Recovery Awards
- Ebenezer Stone Ministries – $30,000: Will support a food recovery warehouse manager.
- Tricklebee Cafe – $8,000: Funds for two part-time coordinators and a full-time food safety employee.
- Jim Luther New Hope Center – $20,000: Will expand the food pantry to serve more families at new locations.
- Tikkun Ha-Ir of Milwaukee – $30,000: Will increase staff for distributing additional meals from recovered produce.
- The Gathering of Southeast WI – $10,000: Support for a long-running food pantry operating six days a week.
- Soul Brew Kombucha – $17,500: Develop a program to recover unused produce from local sources for kombucha production.
- Medical College of Wisconsin – $12,000: Support for food pantries to improve donation and recovery practices.
Composting Awards
- Kompost Kids – $5,000: Provides education and supplies for community composting.
- UW-Milwaukee – $19,705: Will expand composting programs with new equipment.
- Milwaukee Public Schools Harold S. Vincent High School – $20,100: Will implement an innovative on-site composting project.
- Compost Crusader – $17,695: Supports multiple community locations with composting services.
This initiative marks a significant step toward a more sustainable Milwaukee, addressing both waste reduction and food access challenges.
