Montgomery County鈥檚 Office of Food Systems Resilience is launching a three-part strategy to expand food recovery efforts led by community partners. Food recovery efforts are essential in the County’s overall strategy to address food insecurity. Montgomery County has invested more than $3 million over the past decade to strengthen local food recovery efforts and support sustainable food system practices. As the demand for food assistance continues to rise, OFSR is implementing new and updated strategies to recover more food, improve access and build a more resilient, collaborative and climate-conscious food recovery network鈥攁ll while working with limited funding and the increasing level of food insecurity in the community.
Food recovery, also known as food rescue, collects safe-to-eat foods that can no longer be sold, such as produce, meat, shelf-stable items, and prepared meals, and redistributes them to residents or food assistance organizations. This practice has environmental, economic, and social benefits, including preventing food waste, redirecting surplus food to the community at no cost and supporting local food security efforts. There are more than two dozen organizations that participate in the food recovery network.
鈥淔ood insecurity is still a reality for too many people in our County, and at the same time, we throw away food that could help address it,鈥� said County Executive Marc Elrich. 鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 make sense morally or economically. Food recovery is one of the clearest examples of how we can reduce waste and help people at the same time. This strategy reflects the kind of coordination and problem-solving we need more of, and I appreciate the community partners who make this possible every day.鈥�
The food assistance provider network is regularly serving more than 106,00 residents collectively each month, and it is estimated that food insecurity affects 35% of County residents. Community Food Rescue, a program of Manna Food Center, has been active in Montgomery County since 2012. It has built a network of more than 400 donors, food providers and volunteers to help rescue nearly 14 million pounds of food.
鈥淥ur hope is that the spirit of collective impact that built Community Food Rescue will be carried into the next phase of the County鈥檚 food rescue efforts,鈥� said Jenna Umbriac, director of programs for Manna Food Center. 鈥淢anna is committed to offering our support as the County transitions to a new funding structure for these vital activities that feed more and waste less.鈥�
By engaging farms, restaurants, grocery chains and institutional food service providers to collectively donate millions of pounds of food annually, food recovery efforts meet the goals of the County鈥檚 Strategic Plan to Advance Composting, Compost Use and Food Scraps Diversion and Aiming for Zero Waste initiative. Both point to food recovery as a way to minimize food waste and address hunger in the community. The County鈥檚 High Road Economic Inclusion Framework also emphasizes the importance of private-public collaboration with the local food industry.
This spring, 25 food recovery partners shared key needs with OFSR, which include transportation, cold storage and better coordination of donations and distribution. In response, OFSR will use existing funds through fiscal year 2026 to improve infrastructure, support collaboration and cover food recovery operational costs.
- To help food recovery organizations meet shared infrastructure needs related to transportation, cold storage and food waste recycling, the OFSR is offering the FY25 Food Recovery Network Infrastructure Grant Program. Applications are open through May 30. Eligible projects include shared-use cold storage, onsite composting systems for inedible organics and refrigerated vehicles for transporting recovered food. The grant aims to strengthen the County鈥檚 Food Recovery Network by improving the transport, storage and distribution of recovered food.
- Launching this summer, the FY26 Food Recovery Network Coordination (FRNC) Grant aims to improve efficiency, streamline operations and boost collaboration across the food recovery network. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations experienced in coordinating community partners and not directly involved in food recovery. The Office of Grants Management will provide more details in June.
- Starting this fall, food recovery programs will have a new way to access operational funding through OFSR鈥檚 Community Food Assistance (CFA) Grant Program. Applicants can choose to join the County鈥檚 Food Recovery Network鈥攎anaged by the future awardee of the FRNC grant鈥攖o promote collaboration, reduce competition for donors and support data sharing among organizations. CFA applicants may also request funding to cover operational costs such as staffing and transportation. This added flexibility is designed to expand food sourcing options and encourage more cost-effective strategies to address rising food insecurity.
“During a time when financial stressors are more drastically impacting our community, we need to stretch every local dollar further. This approach is a double win, having significant climate benefits while also strategically sourcing more food to feed our community,鈥� said Heather Bruskin, director of OFSR.