Rejected food from FIND repurposed for farm

FIND Food Bank works with community partners to collect food for those in need, but not all that food is good for human consumption. Volunteers do weekly sortings at FIND to make sure the best quality produce is going out to the community.

“The biggest thing that they’re going to look for is mold,” said Yessy Teran, community relations coordinator at FIND. She said they also keep an eye out for bruising or deep holes in produce.

Instead of sending the rotten food to the trash, FIND works with local farmer, Santiago, in Thermal to feed cows, goats, and horses whose stomachs can process the produce, despite its condition. Santiago has worked with FIND for six years, maximizing food that comes to the food bank.

“The food that we are giving to the animals is eventually going to become food for us as well,” said Teran. Because what goes in, must come out and becomes fertilizer for more fruits and vegetables; all in an effort to keep food out of the landfill an in the bellies of whoever needs it most.

If you are interested in receiving food from FIND, visit the organization’s website: http://www.findfoodbank.org/