Giving Back
And, just like that, 2021 is almost over! To celebrate the holiday season this year, our team at South Hill Compost will be giving back to our community here in Cortland County. For each new customer who signs up in December, we will make a donation to a local charity working to fight food insecurity. This organization helps fight food waste just like we do, but they do it by getting still-edible food into the hands of those in need.
Here’s our plan: we will donate $10 for each new residential customer who signs up in December.
If you’ve been considering composting with us, consider this your sign to join and to get started before 2022 arrives! It’s a great opportunity to start composting your food scraps while helping others in need in our community.
We’ll be supporting this local nonprofit that aligns’ with our mission through this initiative:
Seven Valleys Health Coalition
About
In January 2019, in collaboration with Cortland Food Project, SVHC approached the City of Cortland with a request to allow SVHC to author a grant application enabling the City to apply for funding through the NYSDEC Municipal Food Scraps Reduction, Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling program. In May 2019 the City of Cortland was awarded 36 months of funding through the program and subcontracted with SVHC to execute the project, which will run through Spring 2022. SVHC works closely with the grant’s Project Director, Bruce Adams, who is the Superintendent of the City’s Wastewater Treatment Department and other members of the CFP and Hunger Coalition Subcommittee to execute the project. Subsequently, in June 2019, SVHC was awarded a grant through the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York (HFWCNY) to meet the cash match requirements of NYSDEC grant.
Their Goals
Develop and implement a public education campaign increasing awareness of methods to reduce the volume of food scraps entering the municipal waste stream, whether residential food scraps or excess wholesome foods from grocery stores, farms, restaurants, or other institutions.
Design and implement food recovery/rescue program for Cortland to reduce the volume of wholesome, edible food entering the municipal waste stream and diverting it to the food insecure.
Once implemented, expand the new food recovery program to include processing donated “past prime” produce into value-added products (e.g., salsa, pesto, etc) to then divert to food insecure individuals and/or utilize for program sustainability funding.
If you’re already a South Hill Compost customer, consider making a donation to this great organization this month, or contributing your time or funds to another local organization focused on food waste and food redistribution. During the holiday season, food waste increases by approximately 25%. It’s important that we all consciously work together to be part of the solution.