Frequently Asked Questions
What is Faith Fights Food Waste?
Faith Fights Food Waste is a nationwide public engagement event for the faith community to introduce the issue of – and some solutions to – the food waste dilemma facing America and the rest of the world.
When is Faith Fights Food Waste?
Faith Fights Food Waste is an ongoing campaign. All of the resources of FaithFightsFoodWaste.org will remain online.
What will be happening?
Clergy from across the faith spectrum will be speaking about food waste – the practical problem as well as the ensuing moral/ethical issues – from their own faith perspective during their weekly sermon.
Who is sponsoring Faith Fights Food Waste?
This program is an education and awareness program from AmpleHarvest.org, an award winning nationwide 501c3 nonprofit organization. AmpleHarvest.org is reducing food waste nationwide by educating, encouraging and enabling America’s 42 million home and community gardeners to donate their excess harvest to more than 8,600 food pantries nationwide. A recent study determined that more than 11 billion pounds of garden food is lost to waste annually.
Food waste is a “foodie” where does the faith community come into it?
“Foodies” have been discussing food waste in the past decade. Non-profits, government, farm to table businesses and others have increasingly been brought into the discussion, yet up to now, the faith community has not yet been engaged. This has been a critical gap for two reasons:
- Millions of Americans are not yet aware that food waste is an issue that is hurting them and their community, and therefore are not aware of the many options available to them to reduce or eliminate food waste.
- 70% of America’s food pantries – a key part of the solution to food waste – are based in or sponsored by a house of worship. By closing this gap, more food that otherwise would be lost to waste can be routed to a nearby hunger program to benefit those in the community who are food insecure.
Where will Faith Fights Food Waste take place?
Everywhere. Clergy from all states and in all faith communities are welcomed and encouraged to participate.
What exactly will the clergy have to help then with their sermons?
AmpleHarvest.org (with help from GreenFaith) created all of the resources needed for any/every house of worship to participate. Downloadable documents at FaithFightsFoodWaste.org, both secular and faith specific, are available including:
- General introduction to the issue of food waste – an abridged version as well as a somewhat longer more academic look at the issue, videos and links to several excellent food waste information sites.
- An article for use in newsletters or bulletins (two versions – one shorter and one longer – are available)
- Boilerplate sermons written six major faith traditions along with one secular one. Several are also available in Spanish.
- A “game show” for their religious schools
- A series of Calls to Action that the clergy can share as part of the sermon.
What are calls to action?
Faith Fights Food Waste has assembled a number of things that the members of the congregation can do to reduce or eliminate food waste. The clergy should decide which of them will have the greatest impact and most likely to be acted on by the community. We suggest that two or three should be a good starting point, with additional ones suggested later on if the community is so inclined.
We strongly suggest that if the house of worship is a community that has home and community gardens, that AmpleHarvest.org be a selected as one of the calls to action. It is the low hanging fruit in the food waste arena – plus it will help the food pantry get more food for free for years to come.
Are there any calls to action for the clergy?
Yes. Above and beyond participating in Faith Fights Food Waste, if the house of worship hosts a food pantry, the clergy should absolutely work with the food pantry manager to get them registered at AmpleHarvest.org so that local gardeners and other donors can contribute excess fresh food instead of letting it go to waste. This should be done, if possible, before Faith Fights Food Waste.
Which faiths are invited to participate?
This is open to the entire faith community. Faith Fights Food Waste’s documents specific to Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Unitarian/Universalists traditions as well as a secular version are available at FaithFightsFoodWaste.org. Any clergy outside of these faiths is free to adopt the material to their own faith tradition.
How much does it cost to participate in Faith Fights Food Waste?
Faith Fights Food Waste is free.
If Faith Fights Food Waste is free, why are you asking for contributions?
Faith Fights Food Waste is indeed free, but putting it on comes with significant costs including staff, technology, customer service, creating the materials that will be used, and a lot more. Your donation to AmpleHarvest.org, a nationwide 501c3 nonprofit, helps to underwrite the cost of the event.
We’d love to help support the Faith Fights Food Waste program but we do not give grants or donations to religious organizations.
AmpleHarvest.org is not a religious organization nor is it affiliated with any particular religious organization or faith per se. AmpleHarvest.org does however work with all faiths where appropriate as part of a larger effort to eliminate food waste and therefore hunger.
What can I do in a non-faith/secular environment?
A secular version of the documents is available for any non-faith participants.
How can I participate if I’m not involved with a house of worship or if my faith leader doesn’t participate?
There are millions of people of faith whose spiritual leader will do the sermon but they can not attend to hear it, or their faith leader may be unable do the sermon. For people like you, we have a “personal” version that you can use at home by visiting one of these pages at any time you wish:
- I am Buddhist
- I am Christian
- I am Hindu
- I am Jewish
- I am Muslim
- I am Unitarian-Universalists
- I am spiritual but of no particular faith
You can also help reduce food waste by making sure that the other houses of worship in your community are aware of Faith Fights Food Waste.
I can not commit to participating in Faith Fights Food Waste until I get an “ok” from a committee at my house of worship. What should I do?
Sign up and specify that you do not know if you’ll be able to do it or not. We’d love to remain in touch.
Should we invite the local media to cover the service?
Absolutely, yes! Reach out to the local TV, radio and newspapers. The more coverage you get, the better. Urge them to include the hashtag #FaithFightsFoodWaste in their coverage to help others to also read/view it.
What can I do about food waste?
There are a lot of ways you can reduce the waste of food in America. Ask your clergy to join FaithFightsFoodWaste.org and get the information for you.
I am very involved in the faith community on a nationwide level and would love to help.
We’d love your help! Email [email protected] and lets talk.
Where can I find media information?
Visit www.AmpleHarvest.org/presskit to learn about AmpleHarvest.org. You can contact [email protected] or @GaryOppenheimer for further media inquiries.
I want to help promote Faith Fights Food Waste. What is the #hashtag?
#FaithFightsFoodWaste
How can we help?
Faith Fights Food Waste is an educational program created by AmpleHarvest.org, a nationwide nonprofit. Your financial support makes free faith based food waste resources possible. Make a tax deductible donation here to help spread the word. Thank you.