OREGON SCHOOL FOOD SHARE PROGRAM GUIDE ------- Acknowledgements The following people and organizations made this resource possible: Laurel Bates, Clackamas County Sustainability & Solid Waste and Clackamas County Refuse & Recycling Association Elaine Blatt, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Meghan Borato, City of Gresham Recycling and Solid Waste, Oregon Green Schools Greg Collins, Chartwells Galina Dobson, Sodexo Julie Hamilton, Clackamas County Public Health DivisionFood Safety Dave Martin, Oregon Health Authority Pete Pearson, World Wildlife Fund Amy Rowland, Eastern Research Group Andrea Schnitzer, Eastern Research Group Sasha Swerdloff, Oregon Green Schools Bernardo Tuma, Oregon Department of Education Kendra Tyler, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 Theresa Blaine, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 Disclaimer: The information contained in this Oregon School Food Share Program Guide is intended to inform the public and does not establish or affect legal rights or obligations. Links to non-EPA sites do not imply any official EPA endorsement of, or responsibility for, the opinions, ideas, data, or products presented at those sites, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. This program guide was written in late 2020 and early 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools may decide how and when to implement food share table and donation programs considering ongoing health and safety concerns. You should coordinate with state and local health authorities and ensure that all food safety requirements are met. ------- Contents 1. How to Use the Guide 2 2. Start a Food Share Program at Your School 6 Checklist for Starting a Food Share Program at Your School 6 A. Identify Key School Staff and Volunteers 8 B. Conduct a Food Waste Audit to Gather Baseline Data 9 C. Identify Potential Funding Opportunities 12 D. Determine Flow to Measure the Success of Your Program 13 E. Understand Federal, State, and Local Authority 13 F. Implement a Food Share Table 17 G. Donate Food to Outside Organizations 23 3. Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District 26 Checklist to Pilot a School Food Share Program at the District Level 26 A. Planning a Pilot for Your Schools 27 B. Identify Pilot School(s) 27 C. Identify and Communicate with Key Contacts 29 D. Provide Technical and Administrative Support 32 E. Provide Recognition 33 Appendix A. Policy Tools for Reducing Food Waste and Packaging at Schools A-1 Appendix B. Federal, State, and Local Authority Related to Food Share and Donation B-1 B1. Federal Enabling Legislation and Guidance B-1 B2. State Enabling Legislation and Authority B-2 B3. Local Authority B-3 Appendix C. Communication Resources C-1 CI. Draft Agenda for School Site Selection Call C-2 C2. Memorandum of Understanding Between School/School District and Recipient Organization C-3 C3. Sample Food Donation and Share Table Policy C-5 C4. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to School Staff C-8 C5. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to Parents C-8 C6. Cafeteria Student and Staff Instructions C-9 C7. Kitchen Manager Checklist for Starting a Food Share and Donation Program C-9 C8. Checklist for Call with Donation Organization C-10 C9. Cafeteria Posters and Signage C-11 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide i ------- Appendix D. Example Food Waste Audit and Diversion Guides D-1 D1. Food Waste Audit and Diversion Guides D-1 D2. Example Food Waste Audit Worksheets D-2 Appendix E. Recognition Opportunities E-1 El. Oregon Green SchoolsGreen Lunchroom Certification E-1 E2. Fuel Up to Play 60 1 2 Appendix F. Key Resources to Support School Food Waste Reduction F-1 F1. Food Share Program Toolkits F-1 F2. Share Program Guidance from Other Jurisdictions F-2 F3. Food Waste Resources F-3 F4. Additional Resources F-4 Appendix G. Case Studies of School Food Share Programs in Oregon Schools G-1 Beaverton School District Nutrition Services Food Share G-2 Canby School District Milk Dispenser Pilot G-5 Corbett School District Waste Reduction G-7 Corvallis School District Pre-Ordering Lunch and Composting G-9 ii Oregon School Food Share Program Guide ------- List of Acronyms and Abbreviations CACFP Child and Adult Care Food Program CFR Code of Federal Regulations CNP Child Nutrition Program DEQ Oregon Department of Environmental Quality EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency FDA Food and Drug Administration FUTP60 Fuel Up to Play 60 HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point MOU Memorandum of Understanding NDC National Dairy Council NFL National Football League NSLP National School Lunch Program ODE Oregon Department of Education OGS Oregon Green Schools OHA Oregon Health Authority OVS Offer Versus Serve PHF Potentially Hazardous Foods RBL Recess Before Lunch SBP School Breakfast Program SFA School Food Authorities SFSP School Food Service Program SNA School Nutrition Association SNP School Nutrition Programs USDA United States Department of Agriculture WARM EPA Waste Reduction Model WWF World Wildlife Fund Section 1: How to Use the Guide Oregon School Food Share Program Guide iii ------- Page intentionally left blank iv Oregon School Food Share Program Guide ------- SECTION 1 How to Use the Guiide ------- 1. HOW TO USE THE GUIDE The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed this guide in partnership with Oregon Green Schools (OGS). It is aligned with EPA's Food Recovery Hierarchy (Figure 1-1), which prioritizes actions to prevent and divert wasted food. The hierarchy prioritizes food waste prevention (also called source reduction) as the best way to minimize waste, followed by distribution of food to people. This guide focuses on the steps required to recover potentially wasted food in schools to minimize waste and reduce food insecurity. In this guide, "wasted food" refers to specific types of unwanted edible food that students throw away that is otherwise acceptable for consumption, such as unopened packaged foods and uneaten whole fruit. The term "food scraps", which appears in the appendices, refers to inedible food (e.g., cores, peels, or pits) or partially eaten meals (that cannot be re-served) sent to the landfill. Figure 1-1. The EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy shows the best ways to prevent and divert wasted food. This section provides an overview and responses to the following questions: What is a school food share program? Why are school food share programs important? Who should use this guide? What is a school food share program? A school food share program aims to prevent and minimize wasted food and share wholesome, nutritious, edible food with those who need it so that food is not wasted at school. Schools that participate in food share programs collect foods like whole fruit and unopened packaged cafeteria items to share within the school and/ or in the community. Such programs may involve redis- tribution of foods within the school, and/or collection and donation of foods to nonprofit organizations. Why are school food share programs important? For many Oregon families, free and reduced school meals are an important source of food for students. As Oregon food insecurity rates increase during large-scale disaster events and situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, so too does the importance of feeding hungry students through school nutrition programs. School food share programs ensure that schools optimize their reach and feed as many people as possible within the school and surrounding community. Kids learn best when their needs are met. A skipped or partial meal may lead a student to feel frazzled and anxious.1 Over time, students may fall behind a grade level and might not graduate from high school due to a lack of essential nutrition and energy during their journey through the education system. School food share programs aim to provide food to those who need it within the school via share tables and reservice of food items that otherwise would have gone to waste. 1 Jepkemboi G. (2018). The Effects of Hunger on Physical and Cognitive Development of Children. In: Szente J. (ed.). Assisting Young Children Caught in Disasters. Educating the Young Child (Advances in Theory and Research, Implications for Practice), vol. 13. Springer, Cham. Available at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62887-5 10 2 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 1: Howto Use the Guide ------- HOW DOES A SCHOOL FOOD SHARE PROGRAM WORK? Redirect recoverable, edible food to the community instead of the landfill. Your school can participate using the strategies that are right for your community! Whole, uneaten eligible foods served to students during school meals Unserved, edible foods such as individual meal components, sandwiches and bulk goods. See Table 2-3 for a description of eligible foods Re-serve food and beverage items from the share table and claim these foods for reimbursement during another meal service. n Share Tables: where students place whole food or beverage items that they choose not to consume. Collect, label, and store leftover food or beverage items for donation. Invite students to pick up items from the share table during meal service. Donate food or beverage items to a school-based food pantry and/or snack program, or to a nonprofit food rescue organization such as food bank or homeless shelter. Figure 1-2. How does a school food share program work? This figure shows the various aspects of a school food share program. Starting on the left with the two categories of foods, follow the arrows to the right for ideas on how to divert otherwise wasted food from the landfill and back to feeding those in the school and the community. Source: USDA. (2016). The Use of Share Tables in Child Nutrition Programs. Available at https://www.fns.usda.qov/cn/use-share-tables-child-nutrition-proqrams USDA. (2012). Guidance on the Food Donation Program in Child Nutrition Programs. Available at https://www.fns.usda.qov/cn/quidance-food-donation-proqram-child-nutrition-proqrams Section 1: How to Use the Guide Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 3 ------- Additionally, food share programs reduce the amount of food sent to the landfill where it decomposes and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. In Oregon, food contributes to nearly 15 percent of consump- tion-based greenhouse gas emissions, an estimate of the quantity of greenhouse gases associated with the full life cycle of goods and services consumed in Oregon.2 By redirecting whole, edible food that would otherwise go to the landfill, a school food share program reduces greenhouse gas emissions and minimizes the environmental impacts of food waste. 14.6% - Rate of food insecurity in Oregon households 23 % of Oregon children are food insecure 26.8 lbs. - Average food waste per student each year in Portland schools Figure 1-3. Food insecurity in Oregon.3-4 Who should use this guide? Oregon schools and school districts should use this guide to recover wasted food and redirect it to the school community and/or donate it to local food banks and food rescue organizations. The guide presents step-by-step instructions for implementing a program at the school and school district levels and provides an overview of supporting legislation, helping the reader identify key internal and external stakeholders who can support program development. Schools and school districts should use the guide as follows: At the school level, schools should follow the step-by-step process in Section 2 of this guide for developing and implementing a food share program. Schools and school districts will learn how to create a team, identify funding, and coordinate with the local health authority to conduct a baseline audit, set up share tables and donate wasted food to a local nonprofit organization feeding the community. At the school district level, districts should follow the steps in Section 3 of this guide for starting a food share pilot program. Districts will learn how to develop a strategy for a pilot program including how to determine pilot program duration and par- ticipation, identify and train staff, identify funding and provide program support and recognition for participating schools. Readers should review the appendices at the end of this guide to access useful checklists, tips, resources and communication materials. The appendices provide the following resources: Appendix A. Policy Tools for Reducing Food Waste and Packaging at Schools Appendix B. Federal. State, and Local Authority Related to Food Share and Donation Appendix C. Communication Resources Appendix D. Example Food Waste Audit and Diversion Guides Appendix E. Recognition Opportunities Appendix F. Key Resources to Support School Food Waste Reduction Appendix G. Case Studies of School Food Share Programs in Schools 2 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. (2012). Materials Management in Oregon: 2050 Vision and Framework for Action. Available at https://www.oreaon.aov/dea/FilterDocs/MManaaementOR.pdf 3 Oregon Food Bank. (2021). Hunger in Oregon. Available at https://www.oregonfoodbank.ora/our-work/hunaer-in-oreaon 4 World Wildlife Fund. (2019). Food Waste Warriors: A deep dive into food waste in US schools. Available at https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/food-waste-warriors 4 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 1: Howto Use the Guide ------- SECTION 2 Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- 2. START A FOOD SHARE PROGRAM AT YOUR SCHOOL Readers who want to start a food share program at a school should follow the steps in this section, using the checklist below as a step-by-step guide. Checklist for Starting a Food Share Program at Your School Identify Key School Staff and Volunteers. Engage and build trust with all staff early in the development of the program. Identify key staff who will help run the food share program such as kitchen staff, facilities and custodial staff, teachers, school green team members, school nutrition staff, and others. Conduct a Food Waste Audit to Gather Baseline Data. A food waste audit collects valuable informa- tion about the leftover, edible foods thrown away at the end of the meal period. Food waste audit results show what types and quantities of foods and other non-organic materials are being sent to the landfill. Form and meet with the team who will conduct the food waste audit. Meet with the food waste audit team to discuss the purpose of the food waste audit, define roles, and begin planning and training for the audit. Review Table 2-2 for a checklist of audit steps. Use the audit results to identify the types and quantities of food discarded during meals. Use this information to determine if share tables and/ or donation are a good fit for the school. Identify Potential Funding Opportunities. After deciding if share tables and/or donation are a good fit, determine if funding is needed to develop and implement the program. Review national, state, and local funding oppor- tunities. Determine How to Measure Program Success. Metrics for success are based on which aspects of a food share program a school chooses to implement. Identify metrics to measure progress and success. Communicate data collection and reporting requirements to key staff. Understand the Federal, State, and Local Authority Supporting Food Share Programs. Review the legal framework to understand how to safely implement your program. Understand and establish protocols to meet the food safety requirements for share tables. Establish clear guidelines for food donation. Implement Your Food Share Table. Review the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidance on share tables. Meet with key staff and volunteers. Review how to set up and monitor share tables. Learn how to store collected foods safely and in accordance with state and local laws. Adapt as needed! It is important to adjust and adapt during implementation. Donate Food. Review USDA guidance on food donation and the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996. Contact potential recipients and discuss the food available for donation. Collect, weigh, label, and store food for donation. Coordinate pickup or dropoff of food. 6 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate Get Started! Food share programs may focus solely on sharing food that would otherwise be wasted within a school. They may also involve collection of food from share tables, as well as food not yet served that would otherwise be wasted, and donation of these foods to local nonprofit organizations. This section will help you determine which food share strategy is right for your school, taking into consideration the amount of recoverable food available and the level of effort required to store and transport food to a local organization. This section presents the following steps for developing a food share program at the school level: Identify key school staff and volunteers Conduct a food waste audit to gather baseline data Identify potential funding opportunities Determine how to measure the success of your program Coordinate with the local health authority Implement a food share table Donate food to outside organizations What Organizations Support Participation in Food Share Programs? The USDA Food and Nutrition Service allows and encourages the redistribution of previously served, whole and/or unopened food and beverage items in the following ways: » Share tables where students may pick up extra items or where items may be served and claimed for redistribution during another meal service. » Donation to a nonprofit organization. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) have not issued guidance specific to food share tables but do support school efforts to implement programs to recover wasted food using USDA guidance. ODE and OHA leave the final decision for implementation to the local health departments. For food donation, schools are protected from liability when donating to nonprofit organizations under the federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and the Oregon Rev. Stat. Section 30.890, "Liability of Food Gleaners, Donors and Distributors." See Appendix B for more information. Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 7 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate A. Identify Key School Staff and Volunteers Identify key staff who will help run the food share program and organize a meeting to talk with them about their roles and responsibilities. Table 2-1 provides examples of key staff essential for program implemen- tation. Engage and build trust with all staff early in the development of the program. This establishes an open line of communication that will help to identify opportu- nities and challenges that can be addressed in real time. It is especially important to engage early with facilities, custodial, kitchen, and other staff in the cafeteria who will support the logistics of a food share program. Table 2-1. Key School Staff and Volunteers Role Description School food share lead(s) School personnel who will take point on organizing and implementing food share tables and donation logistics. They will interact with school district personnel as needed and should fully understand state and local food share table and donation guidelines. Nutrition staff representative This representative can provide auidance about USDA reauirements. linked in Aooendix B as they relate to school food share and donation. Food waste audit team If a school has no baseline data for food waste generation, this team will need to conduct a food waste audit. Identify three to five people who can support implementation of an audit. They may include: School nutrition staff representative School administrator Students Teachers Parent volunteer and/or green team leader Food share table and donation team Identify at least three to four staff or volunteers who will implement and help educate school personnel and students about the logistics of food share and donation. Staff may include: School administrator Kitchen staff Facilities and custodial staff Teachers Volunteers may include: Parents Green team members Student leaders Identify student leaders to help school staff implement the program. 8 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate B. Conduct a Food Waste Audit to Gather Baseline Data Before beginning a food recovery program, effectively gauge the amount of uneaten food at your school by conducting a food waste audit. What is a food waste audit? Students and staff collect all leftover edible food (whole and partially eaten) and weigh it at the end of all mealtimes over a set time. At the end of a food waste audit, you can see what types and quantities of food are being wasted and at what times of the day, with the goal of understanding what leftover foods can be donated. A waste audit should answer the following questions: Look at whole, uneaten edible foods to determine how many pounds or gallons of food and beverage items are wasted during a typical school mealtime. You can use this sample weight information to estimate food weight for the whole program. Look at partially eaten edible foods to identify which foods students are not eating. When should an audit be conducted? It is ideal to conduct an audit using samples of breakfast or lunch waste for a period of one week to account for any day-to-day variability in waste generation, as well as dif- ferent behavior toward the variety of meals served. The audits generally take place during breakfast or lunch periods so staff can gather information from students about why they are not eating certain foods. If you do not have the resources for a full week audit, adjust to a single-day or half-week audit. How do I get started? The OGS Green Lunchrooms caf eteria waste audit guide provides a step-by-step guide for conducting a food waste audit, including planning and conducting the audit and interpreting audit results. These steps are summarized below. Links to other audit guides can be found in Appendix D. Step 1. Plan the audit Below are key tasks required to plan the audit. Ensure that you assign each task to one or several team members. Figure 2-1. Cafeteria food waste audit sorting bins set up by food category. Image courtesy of Oregon Green Schools. Meet with your food waste audit team. Discuss what a food waste audit entails and why it is important; assign and define roles; and ask for team member support for planning, staffing, training, and recording data (see Table 2-1 for an example of a list of food waste audit team members). Make it clear that the main goal of the audit is to help find ways to encour- age students to eat their nutritious meals and not throw them away. Coordinate with cafeteria and kitchen staff to conduct the audit. Communicate with school staff about the benefits of a food waste audit. Ask for their assistance to coordinate activities on the day(s) of the audit. As above, reiterate that the main goal of the audit is to find ways to encourage students to eat their nutritious meals and not throw them away. Identify a date(s) for the audit. Conducting an audit for a single week will give you the best understand- ing of food waste generation at a school. However, if you can choose only one day, it should be most representative or typical of school meal period(s) and attendance. Work with key staff (e.g., a school nutrition worker and school administrative staff) to choose the best day(s). For example, avoid conduct- ing your audit on a day when a grade level is on a field trip. Identify audit sorting categories. Refer to the OGS food audit guide (linked and described in Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 9 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate Appendix D) for example categories. Consider focusing on sorting only packaged foods and whole fruits, since those are the types of things that might be shared or donated in your program. However, you could certainly capture other food categories for a more holistic audit covering both edible and inedible (i.e., plate waste) food waste. Make or print signs for the audit. Recruit students to staff audit stations. Work with the core implementation team to recruit student volunteers who may be affiliated with the school green team, the student council, or a leadership group. Plan for four volunteers to support one audit station for every 100 students eating in the cafeteria at any one time. Train volunteers. Provide background information to volunteers on their roles and responsibilities and provide an opportunity for them to ask questions. Include information about: » How to complete the Green Lunchrooms Informa- tion and Audit Sheets included in Appendix D. » How to conduct interviews using the Student Interview Sheet in Appendix D. Collect supplies needed for the audit. This includes containers to sort food by type, labels for containers, tables, a scale, audit forms, a camera to document the audit setup and process, pens and pencils, gloves, paper towels, aprons, and trash bags. Step 2. Conduct the audit The example audit checklist in Table 2-2 outlines important tasks to conduct before, during, and after an audit. Use this table as a starting point to develop your own checklist. Food Waste Audit Supplies 0 Two tables per audit station: one for students to drop off their trays and one for the containers. 0 At least two large trash cans on wheels for emptying the containers into after they are weighed. 0 Containers for sorting. For example, five-gal- lon buckets, bus tubs, or other containers. 0 Small trash bags to line the sorting containers (optional). 0 Scales. Hand-held luggage scales and bathroom scales are commonly used. 0 Weight log sheet, interview sheets, clipboards, and pens. 0 Printed labels taped or stuck to the containers. 0 Cloths or paper towels for spills and cleanup. 0 Gloves for handling food. Figure 2-2. Sorting food by category. Image courtesy of Oregon Green Schools. Figure 2-3. Whitcomb Elementary School sorted each food type into separate bins during their food waste audit. Image courtesy of Whitcomb Elementary School. 10 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- .... Identify Conduct Identify Measure Know the .. _ Checklist staffy Audit Funding Success Rules Share Donate Table 2-2. Day of the Audit Checklist ~ About 30 to 40 minutes before ~ Once a container is full, weigh ~ Weigh the remaining the meal period begins, coordi- and record its weight on the containers, being sure to nate with kitchen and custodial audit form, which is included subtract the weight of the staff to set up the audit tables in the OGS food waste containers to calculate and sorting bins. audit guide. After recording just the weight of the food ~ Set up containers to sort food by weights, empty containers waste. Record weights on type and make sure all containers into large trash can (prefera- your data form. are labeled. Five-gallon buckets bly on wheels). ~ Dispose of all waste from work well to collect milk waste. ~ Do not let containers holding the audit. ~ Restrict student access to trash liquids get too fullthey are ~ Clean up the audit area. cans so they can only dispose heavy! Weigh them when ~ Thank students and staff! of their waste at audit stations they are half full. staffed by volunteersthis will ~ Ask student volunteers account for all waste. to interview a sample of ~ Weigh an empty container and students at random as they record its weight on the log throw away items from their sheet. Subtract this weight from trays. Specific interview the total weight to calculate food instructions are in the OGS waste weight. food waste audit guide and in ~ Bring student volunteers to the the worksheet in Aooendix D. stations before the meal starts ~ Take photos both during and familiarize them with their and after the audit! Photos roles as specified in the OGS are extremely useful for Food Waste Audit Guide. documenting the process and results. Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 11 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate Corbett School District Waste Audit Results Corbett School District has only two schools, and they share a single building and cafeteria. Sasha Swerdloff, a volunteer sustainability program coordinator with the Corbett School District, coordinated with parent volunteers and school staff to conduct a one-day food waste audit in the cafeteria. During lunch service, the school collected food waste and weighed it by category. The school identified fruit and milk as the top food items thrown away by students. Waste audit results showed 157 pounds of food wasted each day, resulting in approximately 23,079 pounds of food wasted each year. Corbett School District One-Day Food Waste Audit Results 17.8 lbs. ¦ 9.6 | ¦ lbs. | 1 lbs. Fruit Milk Turkey Melt Salad Bar Pasta Salad Other The audit results showed a high number of recoverable foods that would be acceptable for a food share table. These results informed district-wide planning and future food waste reduction efforts in Corbett, including a new food share table program! Learn more about waste reduction efforts in the full Corbett School District case study in Appendix G. Step 3. Interpret audit results Use the audit results to identify the types and estimated total quantities of foods most often discarded during a typical meal period. The information from the audit will help you decide whether a share table would be a good fit for your school. For example: If you learn that there is very little food that can be placed on a share table or donated, you may decide you do not need a share table. If you learn that you have food items that students could consume or that can be re-served, then you may decide to implement a share table to collect foods for the students. Refer to Table 2-3 in Section 2E to read about eligible foods. If you have large quantities of food that can be re-served, or if your school does not wish to imple- ment a share table, you may want to donate this food, as discussed later in the guide. If food waste audits are performed routinely, you can also use this information to understand the types of food that kids may enjoy less and provide that feedback to the kitchen or food services program to encourage change. C. Identify Potential Funding Opportunities Although food share programs can be low-cost to develop and implement, you might need funding if the program requires refrigeration, coolers, tables, or staffing or procedural changes that could increase overall budgets. Sources of local funding may be most accessible to the school district, though there may be regional and national funding that is also available. Following is a list of organizations and resources to help secure funding. You may also find success when checking with your local city and county waste, recy- cling, and sustainability programs. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Mate- rials Management Grants. The grants program helps recipients reduce waste, build capacity for re-use and repair, and support responsible recycling. USDA National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grants for School Food Authorities (SFAs). State agencies competitively award equip- ment assistance grants to eligible SFAs participating in the program. These funds will allow SFAs to 12 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate purchase equipment to serve healthier meals and improve food safety. Oregon Green Schools. OGS provides free sustain- ability assistance and support to schools across the state. Check with OGS to learn what funding oppor- Conduct informal surveys during program implemen- tation to determine if students and staff are aware of the program and its value, and if they understand how to use share tables. Additional metrics to measure success include: tunities they are tracking. Oregon Metro Regional Government Grants and Resources. Metro works with communities, busi- nesses, and residents in the Portland metropolitan area and tracks funding opportunities. Oregon Food Bank NetworkFood System Grants. The network provides organization for grant oppor- tunities in Oregon. The Nonprofit Association of Oregon. Provides infor- mation about grant opportunities in Oregon. Oregon Community Foundation. Provides informa- tion about grant opportunities in Oregon. Oregon Grant Watch. A searchable database of government and foundation grants. Fuel Up to Plav 60. This national in-school health and wellness program provides up to $4,000 per year to qualified kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) schools to jump-start healthy school changes. Association of Oregon Recvclers. This organization has provided funding for environmental education grants. D. Determine How to Measure the Success of Your Program Once you have decided what aspects of the school food share program to implement at your school (i.e., food share table and/or donation), determine how you will track and measure your program's success. Ideas for methods and metrics to assess program impact include: Use results of the food waste audit for your baseline measurement. After implementing your school food share program, you will conduct another audit to assess the change in quantity of wasted food. » Pounds of food collected and diverted from the landfill due to share tables and/or donation. Use the Example Share Table Tracking Sheet in Appendix C to track foods collected from the share table. » Number of food items collected and categorized. This information could be useful in setting future lunch menus. » Number of food donation deliveries per week or month and estimated quantity of food donated. This data provides a better understanding for waste diversion. » Cost savings associated with reductions in waste hauling. If your school is sending less food to the landfill, the volume and weight of your waste will drop! This data could be a driver in broader implementation. » Information on changes: scheduling recess before/after lunch, share table use, number of kids in school, number of students served lunch. This data could help tell a story of waste prevention or help better understand changes in consumption. » To evaluate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from your program, refer to the EPA Waste Reduction Model (WARM). For additional resources on how to assess your program, visit EPA's Resources for Assessing Wasted Food. E. Understand Federal, State, and Local Authority This section provides an overview of the legal frame- work for school food share and donation and lists foods that are typically eligible or ineligible for share tables and donation. Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 13 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate Step 1. Understand the legal framework At the federal level, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 encourages donation of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations for dis- tribution to individuals in need. The law protects donors from civil and criminal liability when food is donated in good faith and provides other donor protections. Additionally, the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act provides statutory authority for schools and other USDA nutrition programs to address food recovery and food donation policies. The statute clarifies that any unconsumed food may be donated to eligible local food banks or charitable organizations. An amendment defines eligible local food banks or charitable organizations to mean any food bank or charitable organization that is tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Other guidance issued by the federal government includes: » USDA guidance for share tables and donation. which should be reviewed by schools implement- ing a program. » USDA share table guidance states that Child Nutrition Program (CNP) operatorsthe people who oversee a school's meal programshould discuss plans for a share table with their local health department and state agency prior to implementation to ensure compliance with food safety requirements. » USDA guidance allows the use of share tables and re-service of food and beverage items in CNPs, including milk that is unopened and kept at the proper temperature. Share tables must also comply with applicable state and local heath and food safety codes, which also address the proper storage of items to be re-served or donated. ODE and OHA have not issued guidance specific to food share tables, but do support school efforts to implement a program to recover wasted food using USDA guidance. ODE and OHA leave the final decision for implementation to the local health departments. It is imperative that schools coordinate with their local health authority to ensure that all safety requirements are met. Local county and city health departments take direction from the state health department and may adapt additional policies, rules, and regulations. When discussing share table implementation with your local health authority, emphasize that USDA encourages state agencies to support school nutri- tion program efforts to increase consumption of nutritious food and minimize food waste using share tables. Be ready to discuss these topics with your local health authority: 0 Has the local health authority developed official guidelines for food share tables? 0 What food safety standards apply for a school food share table? 0 What are the requirements for the storage of perishable foods? 0 What additional sanitary actions must be taken? 0 Has the local health authority developed official guidelines for food donation? 0 If food is donated to an outside organi- zation, what actions does the receiving organization need to take to ensure com- pliance with state and local regulations? 14 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate Find contact information for your county health authority using the OHA Local Public Health Authority Directory. For more information about legal author- ity related to school food share and donation, see Appendix B. Step 2. Ensure food safety requirements for share tables USDA's share table guidance states that, as with all prepared foods and beverages, CNP operators choosing to use share tables must continue to follow the food safety requirements outlined below. Schools participat- ing in school nutrition programs should already meet these requirements. 7 CFR 210.13. Facilities Management. Schools must ensure health standards are met, solicit and receive food safety inspections, and develop and implement food safety programs. 7 CFR 220.7. Requirements for Participation in the School Breakfast Program. 7 CFR 226.20(1). Sanitation. Institutions and facilities must ensure that proper sanitation and health stan- dards are met when they store, prepare, and serve food and that those health standards conform with all applicable state and local laws and regulations. Institutions and facilities must ensure that adequate facilities are available to store food or hold meals. 7 CFR 225.16(a). Meal Service Requirements. Sanitation. CNP operators must ensure that proper sanitation and health standards are met when storing, preparing, and serving food and that those health standards conform with all applicable state and local laws and regulations. Sponsors, who are responsible for administration of the CNP program, must ensure that adequate facilities are available to store food or hold meals. Within two weeks of receiving notification of approvaland before program operation beginsa sponsor must submit to the state agency a copy of their letter advising the appropriate health department of their intention to provide a food service during a specific period at specific sites. CNP operators must be aware of all applicable local and state health and food safety codes to ensure their use of share tables does not violate any of those codes. Review information from ODE's SNP Food Safety guidance. Further, schools must ensure that their policies for saving and sharing food or beverage items are consistent with the local educational agency's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code, Section 3-306.14, addresses food safety considerations when re-serving food. Note that state and local health and food safety codes may be more restrictive than the USDA Food and Nutrition Service requirements or may place specific limitations on which food or beverage items may be reused. To ensure compliance with food safety requirements, CNP operators should discuss plans for a share table with their local health depart- ment and state agency prior to implementation. OHA encourages schools to work with their local health department to ensure that all foods shared and donated are handled safely. To facilitate sharing of milk, for example, you must provide a cooler or refrigerator that keeps the milk at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below, and you must track the time and temperature to ensure that milk is never left out for more than four cumulative hours. Step 3. Establish clear guidelines for foods that may and may not be shared and donated Table 2-3 summarizes food items that may typically be shared or donated. When creating this list for your own school, ensure it meets the requirements of your Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 15 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate school's food safety plan with a focus on time and temperature, and confirm the list with your local health department. Food shared and donated through your school program should contain ingredient labeling to ensure allergen information is available to those receiving food. Food banks and other charitable food rescue organizations may require this information to be handwritten if commercially packaged food items are not labeled for individual sale. TIP: Review the food share table and donation policies and procedures from the Beaverton School District program in Appendix C. These policies and procedures have been refined over the years and include helpful tips for schools wishing to start their own programs. Table 2-3. Eligible and Ineligible Foods for School Food Share Tables In general, the following foods The following foods may be Unacceptable foods that are appropriate for sharing and shared, but additional food should not be shared or donation: safety actions apply: donated: 0 Commercially packaged non-perishable foods, unopened and in good condition (granola, muffins, jerky, dried fruits, applesauce). 0 Commercially pre-packaged items such as bagged carrots or apple slices, stored in a cooling bin. 0 Whole produce with non-edible rind (orange, banana). 0 Sealed bottles of water, cartons of juice, or other beverages. Food items added to the share table should come from the school's meal service. It is not a best practice to allow students to share foods brought from home, even if they are commercially packaged. However, schools may coordinate with local health department guidance to determine their own policy. ~ Unopened cartons of milk, packaged cheese, yogurt cups and tubes kept at <41°F* must be time-marked or tracked to ensure they are not out of temperature control for more than four cumulative hours. ~ Whole fruits with an edible peel (e.g., apples) must be in sound condition and rewashed before re-service.** *Or the temperature required by the local education agency's HACCP plan, whichever is lower. **Sharing fruits with an edible peel is not a best practice per OH A. Schools may coordinate with their local health department to deter- mine their own policy. II Any opened/resealed containers. II Hot food or previously heated food from trays and salad bars. II Refrigerated items brought from home by students. II Commercially packaged food items brought from home. II Any homemade items. 16 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate If your school is sharing items that require cooling, such as milk, establish strict food safety guidelines to prevent the risk of foodborne illness. ODE requires that schools maintain proper tem- perature and temperature logs (for 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below) by storing food components in a temperature-controlled storage bin, such as an ice tub or cooler. Check dates on packaged foods and do not intermix returned items for re-use with food that has not yet been prepared or served. Decide how many times a food item can be re-used (USDA recommends just once). How to Hake Sense of Date Labels on Food Packaging The "sell by" and "best if used by" dates are indicators of quality. Foods that are past the original manufacturer's "sell by" and "best if used by" date are still edible and suitable for donation. Dates on most foods, such as milk, yogurt, and packaged non-potentially hazardous foods, are not "use by" dates, which means the products are suitable for donation past the marked date. Learn more about understanding date labels from FDA. F. Implement a Food Share Table Once you have identified key staff and volunteers, per- formed a baseline food waste audit, and discussed food safety with your local health department, follow these steps to set up a food share table. Step 1. Meet with key school staff and volunteers Meet with the food share table and donation team to establish roles and responsibilities. These key personnel may include the school administrator, kitchen staff, custodial staff, teachers, and student leaders. This team's responsibilities include: Coordinate with custodial, cafeteria, and kitchen staff. Engage with the staff members who will support the program on a daily basis. Ensure they are aware of the program and discuss the types of support they may be able to provide. For example, if you plan to store items left on share tables, they could help identify storage containers, including any that may hold the contents at the correct tempera- ture, in accordance with local health department guidelines. They could also find a place within the cafeteria to store shelf stable goods for future donation. The team must include staff who under- stand how to follow federal, state, and local food Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 17 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate safety requirements, including storage of re-used items. USDA also states that schools must ensure policies for saving and sharing food or beverage items are consistent with the local education agency's HACCP plan. Coordinate implementation logistics. This team needs to understand food safety requirements as well as orchestrate physical collection of food. This means determining where and how food will be collected. This team will also coordinate the donation of this food if the school decides to participate in a donation program. Decide who will supervise the share table. The share table should always be supervised to ensure compliance with food safety requirements and educate students on what may and may not be placed on the table. Ask supervisors to ensure packaged items are not opened, not punctured, and not otherwise compromised. If cooling bins are used, supervisors must monitor the bin to ensure that time and temperature control requirements are met. Invite students to participate as "share table helpers", or assistant monitors, teaching them about the impor- tance of food safety and recycling. Ensure the school is aware of the program and its importance. The school administrator's main role is to ensure that all staff and students are aware of the program and its purpose, and to facilitate relation- ships that will make the program successful. They can do this by issuing a policy or guidance statement or otherwise communicating to the community the value of the program. Educate students. Students should learn about the program from administrators as well as peers. Communicate information via the school green team, student council, school newsletter or paper, common area bulletin boards, and other leading means of communication. Videos created by students have a big impact, especially when shared in class before lunch. Skits or demonstrations during lunchtime are also good for younger students. Step 2. Set up and monitor share tables Follow these five steps to set up a share table. Work with your team to assign tasks and determine an appro- priate timeline for standing up the program. A. Identify a collection location. Choose a highly visible location for the share table setup, either in the cafeteria or in other areas where students eat. Many schools use their student councils or green teams to lead the effort and train students to help with collection as the program becomes routine. Success- ful food collection methods can follow a variety of models, depending on individual school situations. For example: During mealtimes, students may place their accept- able, uneaten food items at the ends of their tables for pickup during cleanup. At the end of each mealtime, each student may place their food and drinks eligible for donation in a collection bin. The bin should have an ice pack at the bottom to keep items requiring refrigeration cold until they can be moved to the refrigerator. Figure 2-4. Example share table set up. B. Determine what supplies you need. You need at least one dedicated space where students can place items to share. You may want to provide a tablecloth as well as signage to help organize items on the table, make it look appealing, and remind students what may and may not be shared. Based on the food waste audit, you will have an idea of the quantity of NO THANK YOU WHOLE FRUIT AND APPLESAUCE Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate food items you may collect. Be prepared to store any items left on the table after a meal in a crate, box, on a cart, or other conveyance. Remember, to facilitate sharing of milk, you must provide a cooler or refrig- erator that keeps the milk at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below, and you must track the time and temperature to ensure that milk is never left out for more than four cumulative hours. Share Table Supplies 0 3-6 sturdy bins to collect food. Note: Reserve 1-2 bins for each cleanup line and 2-4 bins to store the food in the refrigerator. The best bins are small enough to be easily lifted when full, have handles, and fit in the refrigerator space of both the school and a potential donation recipient. Consider sturdy plastic storage bins with lids that stack or milk crates that your school may already have. 0 Ice packs to be placed in the bottom of the food collection bins. They will keep donated food items requiring refrigeration cold until they can be moved to the refrigerator. 0 Space in the refrigerator or cooler at school to hold perishable food until it is picked up for delivery to the recipient (if you are participating in a donation program). 0 Daily tracking sheet for dates and tempera- tures of perishable food (see the Example Share Table Tracking Sheet in Appendix C). 0 Clearly marked labels attached to the bins, stating the contents are for donation (sample labels are available in Appendix C). Clear signage ensures the separation of food for donation from food that is meant to be served. 0 Large kid-friendly signs and posters to hang in and around the cafeteria (sample signs are available in Appendix C). C. Communicate and educate students and staff about the share tables. Educate students and staff about the share tables, how and when they can be accessed, and their purposeto feed people as well as reduce waste. Clearly communicate share table policies, especially if students are allowed to take items off the share table or if the share table will only collect food for donation to an outside organization. An example food share table policy is provided in Appendix C. Make an announcement before lunch, hang up signs, and communicate via social media, email, and other channels that target students and staff. See Appendix C for templates and communication ideas. D. Monitor the share tables during mealtimes. Members of your team will monitor the table to ensure only products allowed under USDA guidelines are shared. At the beginning of a share table program, vol- unteers should also keep a tally of the number and types of items shared and picked up (if this is allowed within your school's program), as well as the items left at the end of the day. This information will help you assess how much food has been diverted from the landfill and how much food may be avail- able for donation or use in other school programs. At a minimum, each school should track the types and quantities of food left over after meals to compare against the audit baseline to determine how much food has been diverted from the landfill and how much food could still feed people. Use the Example Share Table Tracking Sheet in Appendix C to track the amount and type of food placed on the share table, how long it sat on the table before storage, and how and when it is stored and donated. TIP: Offer nutrient-dense foods left on the share table for afternoon snacks in the classroom! Providing afternoon snacks such as string cheese and granola could help improve concentration and energy levels. Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 19 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate Step 3. Store collected foods Avoid throwing away leftover food! Immediately fol- lowing a school meal, volunteers and staff should safely store food in accordance with the school food safety plan. Instead, find a place to store collected food items that can be re-served or donated. Provide a method for food storage that ensures human health and safety for products that must be kept at temperature (e.g., milk and milk products) in accordance with state or local health department guidelines. Show supporting staff and students safe lifting pro- cedures and provide adult assistance if needed. Ensure that kitchen and custodial staff are aware of the food storage location and understand that food located there is intended to be saved for donation. Determine how you will store collected foods based on how much food is generated on a weekly basis. Use the Example Food Collection Labels provided in Appendix C to clearly mark the bins or crates used to store foods from the share table. Ensure that the food has been weighed and the types of food for donation have been recorded so you can communicate this information to the recipient organization. TIP: You can also use data collected from food donation efforts to estimate total greenhouse gas emissions avoided, equivalent number of meals served, dollar value of food recovered, and total pounds collectedmetrics that are useful for school- and district-level program reporting. 20 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- .. .... Identify Conduct Identify Measure Know the Checklist staffy Audit Funding Success Rules Share Donate Figure 2-5. School food share in action. In this example from EPA's Washington School Food Share Program Toolkit, food is collected in the share bin (left). The bins are clearly marked with food share signage (middle). Student helpers package and store foods appropriately for donation pickup (right). Figure 2-6. School food share in action. In this example from EPA's Washington School Food Share Program Toolkit, bins are used to collect and store foods during the week before a volunteer picks up the food and delivers it to the participating recipient (left). Before volunteers take the food for delivery, the bins are weighed and tracked (right). Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 21 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate Beaverton School District Share Table and Food Donation The Beaverton School District is the third largest school district in Oregon, with 41,215 students enrolled in 74 schools. For more than 10 years, the district's Nutrition Services Department has been reducing hunger and waste by facilitating share tables in school cafeterias and coordinating weekly pickups for food donation with a local gleaner, Waste Not Food Taxi. Beginning in 2007, with a donation pilot at three schools, the Nutrition Services Department fine-tuned pro- cedures for donation of leftover, unserved foods. The food donation policy and procedures documents, found in Appendix C, cover: Food safety procedures Food packaging and labeling requirements (as pictured below) Volunteer scheduling and transportation Cafeterias benefit from food donation by becoming more aware of the quantities of food prepared and adjusting as needed. Additionally, nutrition services staff work with the school administrators to understand what events might impact lunch counts. After years of running a successful food donation program, the Nutrition Services Department decided to adopt a share table policy, also found in Appendix C. The idea for share tables grew as an extension of existing food donation as staff noticed that required fruits and vegetables, such as packaged applesauce, were immediately thrown away after students left the point- of-sale line. The most common foods added to share tables were applesauce, milk, and whole fruits. Initially, the foods collected on share tables were added to the regular donations. Seeing the quality of items returned to the share table, nutrition services pivoted to washing and re-serving foods back at the school. This allows the schools to save money and ensure that all possible foods are feeding the school community. Learn more about food share tables and donation in the full Beaverton School District case study in Appendix G. 22 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate G. Donate Food to Outside Organizations If your school is not able to distribute all food collected on share tables within the school community, consider donating the remaining food to a local food bank, a food rescue organization, or another charitable organization. Donating surplus food helps address the immediate needs in your community. Use information learned in your earlier conversations with the local health authority to guide decisions for food donation to a nonprofit organization. Your food donation is protected by the federal and state laws listed below and described earlier in this guide: The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 offers liability protection for organizations donating food in good faith to a nonprofit organiza- tion. Oregon Rev. Stat. Section 30.890. Liability of Food Gleaners. Donors and Distributors, provides civil and criminal liability protection for food donation. USDA's 2012 guidance on food donation in CNPs points to best practice resources that schools can use to implement food donation programs. The following is an overview of how to organize your food donation process. You will need to know what foods are available for donation, what organizations will accept the food, and how the food will be transported. Step 1. Compile details about food eligible for donation Gather information about items you expect to donate before coordinating with a food donation recipient to ensure that your donation will be accepted. The foods listed in Table 2-3 are generally acceptable for donation. However, specifics may depend on local health depart- ment regulations and the receiving organization. Food available for donation falls into two categories: Foods collected from the share table. Eligible unserved foods from meal services that would otherwise go to the landfill. Read more about food donation efforts of unserved meal components in the Beaverton School District case study in Appendix G. Check with potential recipients to learn specifically what they may need and what they will not accept. Other questions on this topic should be directed to your local health department or the OHA Foodborne Illness Prevention Program. Step 2. Identify and contact potential recipients Good sources of information about potential recipients include: Feeding America. This organization provides a national list of food banks, including those in the state of Oregon. Oregon Food Bank's Food Finder. This organization provides a map of local food banks by location. Food gleaners. Determine if your area has a local food gleaner that can coordinate the logistics of food donation to organizations that need it most. Network. Talk to parents, teachers, and other community members to learn if they have recom- mendations about where food is needed. Work with potential recipients to learn what kinds of food they will accept. Many foods that schools donate are in high demand by food banks, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and fresh produce. Use the data from your food waste audit and from your share table tracking to communicate what foods are available for donation. Discuss the following with potential recipients: 0 What they will accept. 0 The volume they can accept. 0 Their storage and distribution capacity, especially for perishable items. 0 How to move the food to their location and with what frequency. Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 23 ------- Checklist Identify Staff Conduct Audit Identify Funding Measure Success Know the Rules Share Donate 0 Other logistics, including who will provide the food collection bins, a bin/food labeling system, and a bin cleaning and sanitation process. It may be useful to develop a memorandum of under- standing (MOU) with the recipient entity to ensure all parties are clear on their roles, responsibilities, and expectations; to document the types of food that are acceptable for donation; and to document processes that will be followed (see Appendix C for an example MOU). Step 3. Collect, store, and weigh foods for donation Refer to Section 2F, Step 3 (page 20) for information on how to properly store foods for donation. Remember, the school can donate foods collected from the share table or unserved foods left over from meals. Always store food in accordance with the school food safety plan. Use the Example Food Collection Labels provided in Appendix C to clearly mark foods for donation. Step 4. Coordinate food pickup or dropoff schedule Work with the recipient organization to coordinate transfer of food and set expectations about the pickup or dropoff schedule. This may require coordination with school kitchen and/or custodial staff. Parent volunteers and school green teams are also valuable assets for pickup and dropoff coordination. Recruiting parent vol- unteers early will help boost communication efforts and recognition and might help bring food waste reduction and recovery to events and other school gatherings. Record the date as well as types and weight of food that is donated. Ensure that all food and transport containers are clearly labeled so that the recipient understands what they are receiving, and to avoid donating items that may still be useable by the cafeteria. » This information is important for tracking donations as well as for future reporting and communication about the donation program. » See the Beaverton School District case study in Appendix G for an example of how schools have coordinated donation programs. 24 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School ------- SECTION 3 Start a Food Share Polot Program in Your School District ------- 3. START A FOOD SHARE PILOT PROGRAM IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT If your school district wants to minimize food waste more broadly, consider implementing a pilot initiative to assess the potential impact of a district-wide food share program. A good pilot program allows a school district to assess issues and overcome challenges related to logistics, communication, engagement, and value, and will inform decisions about implementing a program more broadly. Checklist to Pilot a School Food Share Program at the District Level Initiate Planning. Review Table 3-1 for major framework elements to consider when developing a pilot at the school district level. Identify Schools. Depending on the size of the school district and resource availability, a pilot might include one or many schools that are representative of different school types and demo- graphics. Consider how many schools you can support, as well as the value of including different types of schools. Review criteria in Table 3-2 for considerations in selecting a school(s). Keep the following in mind when selecting schools: previous interest in food waste audits and reduction efforts, representation of demo- graphics, and high generation of food waste. Once you have chosen pilot schools, instruct the schools to use Section 2 above to develop and implement their school food share programs. Identify and Communicate with Key Contacts. Identify key school staff for the school district pilot. Review Table 3-3 for the key roles and responsibilities. Identify key federal, state, and local contacts who can provide technical assistance and guidance. Provide communications materials to support participating schools. Provide Support. Hold a weekly or monthly call with participants. Facilitate peer support. Provide ongoing communication resources. Recognize and Celebrate the Program and People Involved. Plan regular recognition and celebration (e.g., annually, biannually, quarterly). Determine basis for recognition (e.g., participa- tion, quantity of food diverted from landfill). Determine how to collect and verify data. Choose ways to recognize schools and par- ticipants such as public recognition, internal communications, certificates, and end-of-year events or parties. Leverage state and national recognition opportunities. See Appendix E for a list of opportunities. 26 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District ------- Checklist Plan Pilot Identify Schools Communicate Support Recognize A. Planning a Pilot for Your Schools Table 3-1 lists important issues to consider when devel- oping a pilot framework. The remainder of this section presents more detailed recommendations associated with these issues. B. Identify Pilot School(s) Depending on the size of the school district and resource availability, a pilot might include one or multiple schools that are representative of different school types and demographics. Consider how many schools you can support, as well as the value of includ- ing different types of schools. Table 3-2 summarizes possible criteria and consider- ations for selecting schools. Note that it is important for a participating school to have baseline data on food waste generation in order to assess the program's impact. Information about how to conduct a food waste audit is outlined in Section 2, and audit guides and resources are provided in Appendix D. Table 3-1. Pilot framework elements and issues to consider Framework Element Issues to Consider Assign a program lead A pilot run at the district level will succeed only if there is a dedicated leader to enable the program. Identify who will lead district-level decision-making as well as interaction with participating schools. Assess staff resources Identify district staff who will manage the pilot. These staff will help identify participating school and staff, facilitate technical training, provide logistical support and communication resources, and (if desired) provide recognition. These staff will also collect pilot data that feed into district measures of success and inform pilot goals. Determine pilot size Depending on the amount of support you can provide as well as interest expressed by can- didate schools, the pilot could include just one or several schools. Consider the district's time commitment and available resources to support pilot participants and engage accordingly. You need only one school for a pilot! Select timeline It may take several weeks to get a program fully established and running smoothly, so it is helpful to run a pilot for at least several months, if not a full school semester. As you work through this guide, determine how much support the district can provide, and the extent to which schools are able to engage, to choose the best timeline for a pilot program. It takes time and effort to develop logistics and communications for a program, so consider running a pilot for at least a half-year to assess program impact. Set goals Program goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable (or ambitious but reasonable), relevant, and time-bound. A simple goal might be to run one school through a one-year pilot to identify benefits, challenges, and the value of expanding the pilot in the future. Identify measures of success and collect data Identify and implement measures for success and track progress. Measurements can be quantitative (e.g., pounds of food redirected to food banks, number of students engaged or served) and qualitative (e.g., based on staff feedback, observed behavior changes). After completion of the pilot, use recorded measurements to communicate the importance of the program and to adjust the program's strategies and procedures. Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 27 ------- Checklist Plan Pilot Schools Communicate Support Recognize Table 3-2. Sample Criteria Form for Selecting School(s) for a Pilot Existing baseline food waste or interest in conducting a food waste audit [Average pounds food generated weekly, edible/inedible] [Y/N] Baseline data are essential to assess the program's impact and therefore must be gathered. School location [Physical address] Use this information to help choose a set of schools that are most representative of the schools in your district. School type [Elementary, secondary, middle, high school, etc.] Number of students [Count] Percentage students in free or reduced lunch program [Percentage] Type of lunch program, includ- ing how meals are delivered [Offer Versus Serve, pre-pack, kitchen/no-kitchen] Relates to understanding the types of food that may be served as well as how a program may affect food waste reduction. Physical resource availability: kitchen hours [Hours of operation] Provides understanding of how school will manage foods that need to meet time and temperature requirements for donation purposes. Physical resource availability: refrigerators/coolers [Count, dimensions] Physical resource availability: containers [Count, dimensions] Physical resource availability: space for containers [Count, dimensions] Staff champions to support program: staff names, titles, contact information [Name, title/role] [Name, title/role] [Name, title/role] [Name, title/role] There must be staff at the school (in the areas of administration, teachers, facil- ities staff, kitchen staff) who are willing to support and implement the program. Green team [Y/N] A green team can help to facilitate program implementation. Student council or leadership team [Y/N] A student council can help to facilitate program implementation. 28 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District ------- Checklist Plan Pilot Identify Schools Communicate Support Recognize Using the information collected above, choose one or more of the following strategies for selecting pilot schools: Select schools that have already conducted or have expressed interest in a school food waste audit. It is essential to have a baseline measurement of food waste generation and management to assess program impact. This may mean only one or several schools will be able to participate initially. Select a representative sample. Consider choosing schools that represent the diversity in types of schools (e.g., elementary, secondary, middle, high school) and demographics (e.g., percentage students on free and reduced lunch program) in your district. This will allow you to compare and assess the results of the pilot to determine what does and does not work well across schools. Select schools where food waste generation may be high. For example, elementary schools typically generate the most food waste within a school system and could be an effective place to implement a pilot. Communicate with schools that meet your selection criteria and invite them to participate in the pilot. Provide them background information on the purpose and value of the pilot. Have a phone call or in-person meeting to provide information about purpose, vision, timeline, responsibilities, expecta- tions, and support the school district will provide and to ensure they have the right key staff to support a pilot. C. Identify and Communicate with Key Contacts Pilot participation requires school staff and volunteers to take on work to coordinate the setup of share tables and donation logistics in addition to their existing duties. Therefore, it is helpful to provide these key personnel with training and information that will help them efficiently implement a food share and donation program. Step 1. Identify key school staff Table 3-3 outlines the types of key staff who are essential for program implementation. It is important to engage and build trust with all staff early in the pilot development process. This establishes an open line of communication that will help the district identify opportunities and challenges. It is especially important to engage early with custodial and cafeteria staff who play a key role in supporting the logistics of a food share program. Identify the key staff in participating schools and organize a meeting to talk with them about their import- ant roles and responsibilities for the pilot. Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 29 ------- Checklist Plan Pilot . . , Communicate Support Recognize Table 3-3. Key School Staff for Program Pilot Role Description School food share lead(s) School personnel who take point in organizing and implementing food share tables and donation logistics. They will interact with school district personnel as needed and fully understand district and OHA guidelines. Nutrition staff repre- sentative This representative can provide guidance about USDA requirements as they relate to school food share and donation. Nutrition staff representatives are involved in all food-re- lated operations in the kitchen and cafeteria. They should be involved from the start of the planning process to help coordinate and streamline efforts. They may not be involved in the day-to-day operations of a share table and donation program, but should be aware of and have input into the program details. Food waste audit team If a school has no baseline data for food waste generation, it will need to conduct a food waste audit. Identify three to five people who can support implementation of an audit. These people may include: School administrator Students Teachers Parent volunteer and/or green team leader School nutrition staff representative Facilities and custodial staff Food share table and donation team Identify at least three to four staff who will implement and help educate school personnel and students about the logistics of food share and donation. Staff may include: School administrator Kitchen staff Facilities and custodial staff Teachers Student leaders Integrate student leaders as possible to help school staff implement the program. In middle and high schools, student leaders could be associated with an existing school green team or could earn credit for helping educate, communicate, and track school food waste reduction for a school semester or school year. 30 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District ------- Checklist Plan Pilot Schools Communicate Support Recognize Step 2. Identify key federal, state, and local contacts It is important to develop relationships with key federal, state, and local partners who can support district-level and individual school food share programs. These potential partners may also already have communication and technical resources available that you can leverage to support your program and can also provide an under- standing of the health and safety requirements for food share and donation. Table 3-4. Key Federal, State, and Local Contacts Contact Support & Resources EPA Sustainable Manaaement of Food Contacts Provide support and technical assistance related to food waste pre- vention and reduction efforts. Oreaon Department of Education May provide consultation for school food share tables. ODE and individual schools have the final say regarding use of share tables and what foods may/may not be shared in schools. Oreaon Health Authority May provide consultation for school food share tables. OHA has a consultative relationship with ODE. Oreaon Department of Environmental Quality Conducts studies of wasted food and may provide grants related to food waste reduction in schools. Local health departments Provide guidance related to food safety and handling, which will support both food share tables and donation programs. Feedinq America Provides a list of food banks in your area. Oreaon Food Bank's Food Finder Provides a map of food banks by location. Local city or county solid waste and recycling programs May provide resources and technical assistance in establishing a food share program at your school. Local food rescue and food pantry programs These are organizations you can partner with to ensure that food goes to feed people rather than being sent to the landfill. Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 31 ------- Checklist Plan Pilot Identify Schools Communicate Support Recognize Step 3. Provide communications materials to support participating schools Clear guidance is critical for running a successful school food share program. Provide key staff with the following types of information to ensure success of your pilot program: School district guidance for participating schools. If it exists, provide an overview of the district's policy with respect to school food share and donation programs for your pilot and beyond. Introduce the key program contacts and outline expectations of program participation, including reporting outcomes. OGS Food Waste Audit Toolkit. Point schools to resources from OGS, including its food waste audit toolkit, which includes information about food waste measurement and reporting. Links to this and other food waste audit guides are provided in Appendix D. How to set up a share table. Beyond the details provided in this guide, there are other resources on share table programs, a selection of which are provided in Appendix F. Resources for internal and external communication. These may include template emails for program leaders to circulate to participants, as well as signage to place in classrooms and the cafeteria introducing the program and encouraging and educating the students about how to participate. Example commu- nication materials are provided in Appendix C. Other key resources to support school waste reduc- tion. Appendix F includes information about food share program toolkits, food share program guidance from various jurisdictions, and food waste resource hubs. D. Provide Technical and Administrative Support Schools should have access to district support as they implement this new program. The district can provide administrative and technical support in the following ways: Hold a weekly or monthly call. Meet with the school contact(s) to address any initial challenges and keep the program going. The frequency of this contact can decrease as the pilot program becomes more established. These calls could cover administrative, technical, and logistical issues, and could also host guests who might be interested to tap into your community, such as contacts from local food banks and other nonprofit organizations that accept school food donation. Facilitate peer support. If several schools are par- ticipating in a pilot, introduce the contacts to each other and encourage them to communicate about challenges and successes. Peer support could also come from outside the district by introducing par- ticipants to staff in other school districts, including districts outside Oregon, who can speak about their experience. Provide communication resources. This could include helping schools create email communiques to ensure all staff are aware of the program and how it works or developing signage that educates staff and students about the types of foods that can be shared. Keep in touch with the participating schools to learn what specific resources they might need help creating, and to identify which resources are best developed at the district level to support standard- ization within the program and across schools. 32 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District ------- Checklist Plan Pilot Identify Schools Communicate Support Recognize E. Provide Recognition Recognizing success rewards participants, encourages schools to join, and helps to validate the food share and donation program. Take the following steps to recognize success in your program. Step 1. Determine when to convey recognition A school district could convey recognition on an annual, biannual, or quarterly basis, but this should be aligned in some way with the school calendar year. Whatever the frequency, it is most important that there are enough data to form the basis for recognition. Step 2. Determine the basis for recognition Determine what you will measure. For example, you could provide recognition for participation, for per- centage-based reduction in food waste, or for pounds donated. Consider if the metric you choose is or can be normalized such that it provides a level playing field (e.g., pounds of food per student donated). If you are interested in learning how to evaluate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the school food share program, refer to EPA's WARM Model. The model helps organizations track and voluntarily report greenhouse gas emissions reductions, energy savings, and economic impacts from several different waste management practices. WARM calculates and totals these impacts from baseline and alternative waste management practicessource reduction, recycling, anaerobic digestion, combustion, composting, and landfilling. Step 3. Determine how you will collect and verify data Your method of data collection will depend on the number of participating schools and the information you would like to collect. For example, if you are piloting three schools, consider data collection by email. However, if you are piloting 10 schools, consider creating a shared Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for schools to complete. If you want to verify data, consider requesting (for example) verification from the school program lead or a receipt from a food bank for a donation. Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District Oregon School Food Share Program Guide 33 ------- Checklist Plan Pilot Identify Schools Communicate Support Recognize Step 4. Select a mechanism for recognition There are many ways in which a school district could convey recognition. Examples include: Provide public recognition. Public recognition ensures that the community is aware of the efforts and accomplishments of the program. This can take many forms, including: » A letter from the school district superintendent to the team implementing the program, recognizing its efforts. » Certificates or large posters that can be hung in a school cafeteria recognizing the school's efforts and accomplishments. » A notice in internal school communications (such as school newsletters) and in external communi- cations (including local news press releases) that reach parents and other community members. Connect to state and national recognition opportu- nities. Appendix E lists opportunities for recognition provided by state and national organizations. Coor- dinate recognition with these organizations or help your school(s) sign up for these opportunities. Hold an event. Convening participants for an event is a great way to increase visibility, encourage the exchange of lessons learned, and provide a stage to highlight the significance of participant achieve- ments. Give participants formal recognition at a special ceremony and invite people from across the community or support special events like a zero- waste party at individual schools. 34 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District ------- SECTION 4 Appendices ------- Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Page intentionally left blank Appendix A ------- APPENDIX A. POLICY TOOLS FOR REDUCING FOOD WASTE AND PACKAGING AT SCHOOLS There are a variety of policies that schools can imple- ment to reduce wasted food. Listed below are several that might work at your school. Implement food share tables. These are tables on which students place approved items for redistribu- tion. Students can take approved food from the share tables. Some schools also collect food from share tables to donate to nonprofit organizations. Donate food that would otherwise be wasted. Teach students that their unwanted food can be shared with someone in their community. USDA encourages schools to donate leftover food to appropriate nonprofit organizations. This is also supported under Oregon state law. Clarify school lunch requirements. Did you know that students are not required to take milk? The National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and at-risk after school meals com- ponent of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) allow students to decline some of the food offered in a USDA reimbursable meal. The 2015 Offer Versus Serve (OVS) provision of the NSLP and SBP allows students to decline some of the food offered to them. The goals of OVS are to reduce food waste in the school meals program while ensuring students receive nutritious meals they will eat. Under the OVS model, students are required to take three of five components (vegetables, fruits, grains, meats/meat alternatives, and milk). If students have three of the five components, they are not required to take milk. In some schools, staff and students are not aware of this, and educating them about this option could reduce wasted milk. USDA's OVS manual and OVS Tip Sheet for School Food Service Managers offer guidance on OVS as it applies to NSLP and SBP menu planning and meal service. USDA provides additional information on OVS for CACFP and SFSP. Change the way you serve milk. Serving milk in cartons can lead to waste when students do not consume the whole carton. Furthermore, milk cartons are not recyclable in many areas which results in more waste going to the landfill. Milk dispensers, or "steel cows," reduce carton and milk waste. See Appendix G to learn about Canby School District's milk dispenser pilot. Ask students to select their meal choice in the morning. Students often have several meal options. School nutrition services staff must guess how popular each menu item will be, and then prepare an amount of food based on those guesses. If students place their order in the morning, the kitchen staff can prepare a more accurate amount of food. This reduces waste and improves the student's meal experience. See Appendix G to learn how the Corval- lis School District is reducing waste by taking lunch orders in the morning. Improve meal quality. Students like to eat meals that are visually appealing and flavorful. A lack of excitement about meals can lead to wasted food. Consider how foods are tested on students before they become part of a standard rotation and accommodate cultural or regional food preferences. Also think about how colors, shapes, textures, and packaging can boost visual impact. No Kid Hunarv's Optimizing Summer and Afterschool Meal Service resource provides tips to optimize the quality and presentation of meals to increase participation and minimize food waste. Schedule recess before lunch (RBL). The National Education Association reports some schools say changing the traditional lunchtime schedule can decrease wasted food and improve student behavior. Action for Healthy Kids also provides helpful ideas, tips, toolkits, and bilingual resources around sched- uling to facilitate RBL, including how to build support within your school and how to conduct a trial run of the new schedule. Appendix A Oregon School Food Share Program Guide A-1 ------- Schedule longer lunch periods. While there are no national standards for length of school lunch periods, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that schools provide students with a minimum of 20 minutes of seated time to eat. Seated time does not include time standing in line or cleaning up after lunch. Unfortunately, many schools provide 20 minutes for the whole lunch period, which means some students have fewer than 20 minutes of seated time to eat. Benefits of providing more time for lunch include: » Increased consumption of food and key nutrients. » Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, lunch entree, and milk. » Decreased plate waste. Schools and school districts can also implement solu- tions to reduce packaging and other waste, including making substitutions. For example, use: Condiment dispensers instead of packets. Napkin dispensers instead of packaged silverware and napkins. Washable and compartmentalized trays instead of disposable trays. Washable silverware instead of disposable utensils. » Washable dishware instead of disposable dishware. » Washable packaging for a waste-free lunch. Spotlight on Seattle Public Schools Food Service and Student Nutrition Policy In July 2017, Seattle Public Schools adopted Policy No. 6705 to improve food service and student nutrition. The School Board recognized that school meal programs help students develop healthy eating habits, close opportunity gaps, fight child hunger, and provide necessary social interaction. As such, the policy requires mealtimes be long enough for students to eat and socialize. All Seattle Public Schools must provide a minimum of 10 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch, with additional time as needed for standing in line. Additionally, school lunch leaders and food service staff are required to place a high priority on reducing cafeteria lines to no more than five minutes for students. Source: Seattle Public Schools School Board. Food Service and Student Nutrition. Policy No. 6705. July 5. 2017. A-2 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix A ------- APPENDIX B. FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AUTHORITY RELATED TO FOOD SHARE AND DONATION This appendix provides an overview of the federal, state, and local laws and guidelines that support food waste reduction and food sharing and donation for Oregon schools. The overarching purpose of these laws and guidelines is to both facilitate food donations and promote public health and safety. B1. Federal Enabling Legislation and Guidance Federal legislation provides the foundation for schools to pursue food share programs by providing liability protection to donors. Additionally, USDA provides guidance on the use of food share tables and food donation in school nutrition programs. Oregon schools planning to develop and implement school food share programs should be aware of the following federal legislation and guidance: Food donation liability protection. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 encour- ages the donation of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations and provides liability protection to food donors if they have not acted with negligence or intentional misconduct. School food share table guidance. USDA's 2016 guidance on the share tables in CNPs describes the opportunities presented by share tables, extends the use of share tables to the at-risk after-school component of the CACFP, and gives an overview of the food safety requirements CNP operators must follow to include share tables in their meal service. CNP operators include school food authorities, local educational agencies, CACFP institutions, and SFSP sponsors. School food donation guidance. USDA's 2012 guidance on food donation in CNPs describes an amendment to the National School Lunch Act and Are Other States Implementing School Food Share and Donation Programs? Washington state and California have both adopted state-level guidance to enable school food share and donation. Review this guidance to understand food safety considerations and questions to ask your local health department. The Washington State Department of Health published School Food Donation Guidelines to provide food safety guidance for school programs wishing to recover and provide food to food-insecure students or food distributing organizations. In 2018, California enacted Senate Bill 557, which required the California Department of Education, Nutrition Services Division, to publish guidance on using share tables and donating leftover foods in CNPs in schools. Learn more about how school districts are implementing school food share tables and donation in Appendix F. the authority of the Food and Nutrition Service to create a food recovery and donation policy in schools participating in the CNP, NSLP, SBP, CACFP, and SFSP. Food safety considerations. FDA Food Code Section 3-306.14 addresses returned food and re-service of food specifications, specifically allowing re-service of unopened, packaged foods. CNP operator safety requirements. CNP operators using share tables must follow the safety require- ments related to facilities management, participation, Appendix B Oregon School Food Share Program Guide B-1 ------- and sanitation outlined in 7 CFR 210.13, 220.7, 226.20(1), and 225.16(a). CNPs must also ensure that practices for saving and sharing food or beverage items are consistent with their local educational agencies' HACCPs. B2. State Enabling Legislation and Authority The state of Oregon provides liability protection to donors through Rev. Stat. Section 30.890. Liability of Food Gleaners. Donors and Distributors, which provides civil and criminal liability protection for food donation if the gleaner, donor, or distributor has not acted with negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. Oregon Rev. Stat. Chapters 30.890 and 30.892 state that the donor shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging, or con- dition of apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product that is donated in good faith to a nonprofit organization for ultimate distribution to food- insecure individuals. As of February 2021, Oregon has not adopted statewide guidance for school food share and donation programs. The rest of this section describes which state agencies have authority over activities related to school food share and donation programs. Oregon Department of Education (ODE). ODE is responsible for food safety in schools across the state's 197 public school districts. ODE's SNP food safety page links to food safety information for school lunchrooms. ODE's Child Nutrition Programs ensure compliance with federal requirements and are responsible for food safety in Oregon schools participating in the NSLP. ODE also oversees contracted nutrition services and ensures compliance with school lunch program guidance, such as OVS. ODE recommends that schools interested in implement- ing food share tables and donation programs follow USDA guidance for share tables and donation. Oregon Health Authority (OHA). In Oregon, food safety is managed at the state level by several agencies that are responsible for food safety in different settings. ODE regulates food safety in schools. OHA is primarily responsible for safety of foods for immediate consump- tion, as well as some food service implemented by benevolent organizations and community meal kitchens that are regulated as licensed restaurants. Oregon counties implement local health and safety practices in coordination with OHA. OHA has not provided official guidance for school food share tables. OHA has a consultative relationship with ODE because ODE uses a version of OHA food safety standards as the basis for the ODE SNP food safety rules. Local public health authorities conduct food safety inspections under contracts or fee for service agreements so that schools meet NSLP annual inspec- tion requirements. OHA may provide consultation on the topic of school food share, but leaves the final decision to individual schools and ODE on the use of share tables and what foods are shared. If strictly applied, the state's Food Sanitation Rules would not allow for share tables for unwrapped foods that have been served to students because there is no way to ensure that students have not contaminated a food product, either inadvertently or on purpose. Despite this concern, OHA understands that schools would like to provide an option for sharing foods such as fruits and milk. As such, OHA has provided general best practices for the use of food share tables in schools and guidelines on conducting program participation safely. These best practices are listed below and have been incorporated into this guide: Fruits with inedible peels, such as bananas and oranges, can be shared if the peel is in sound condi- tion. Commercial packages of food that are unopened and in good condition, such as bags of carrots and apple slices, can be shared. Containers of milk can be shared if the milk is time- marked or tracked in a way to ensure that it is not out of temperature control for more than four hours, either that day or cumulatively. The share table should be monitored by school food service staff to ensure that shared foods are in sound condition and not tampered with. Fruits with an edible peel, such as apples, may be re-served if they are in sound condition and are rewashed before re-service, but this is not consid- ered a best practice. Contact the OHA Foodborne Illness Prevention Program with questions. B-2 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix B ------- Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). In March 2020, Governor Brown issued Executive Order 20-04. Directing State Agencies to Take Actions to Reduce and Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Both DEQ and OHA are subject to the executive order, but ODE was excluded from the list of state agencies to which the order applies. Though DEQ does not have explicit authority to take actions in Oregon public schools, the department is working on parallel initiatives and plans to continue engagement with schools to meet food waste reduction targets. DEQ works with stakeholders on and has provided funding for food waste reduction initiatives and education. Additionally, DEQ provides a wealth of knowledge and resources on the topic, including the Environmental Impacts of Food Waste Management report and the Preliminary Work Plan to Reduce Food Waste, which responds to the Governor's Directive, noting that DEQ seeks to work in partnership with OGS to prevent food waste through improved cafeteria practices. B3. Local Authority There are several important places to look for informa- tion about local laws and guidelines associated with school food share and donation. Local public health departments. Each county follows state rules and regulations for donation and reservice of cafeteria food and may provide their own guidance. This entity will provide information related to food safety and handling for both food share tables and food donation. You must understand how to safely store and handle foods that will be shared or donated, so seek out this important resource. The local health department can provide guidance on storage for perishable foods. Use the OHA Local Public Health Authority Directory to find more information for your county. School districts. Each of Oregon's public school districts may have its own policy related to school food share, donation, and food waste reduction. If your school district does not currently have a policy, consider talking with the school board about passing a resolution to formalize a program. While such policies are not required to run a food share and donation program, they can pave the way for more streamlined program development. Determine the best approach for your school district and explore policy options, if necessary. The structure and function of school systems may vary depending on the number of schools within the district. In general, key stakeholders in an Oregon public school include: School board/committee. Each school district has an elected school board that helps set the vision and goals for the district and may adopt policies to achieve its goals. In some districts, student represen- tatives may sit on the school board. Additionally, the board hires and evaluates the superintendent. School district superintendent. The chief executive in the district, hired and held accountable by the school board/committee. The superintendent supervises principals and other administrators and manages the day-to-day educational, logistical, and financial operation of the school system. District nutrition services director/organization. Oversees all aspects of food service in schools within the school district, administering the lunch program in compliance with federal, state, and local policies. The nutrition services director oversees purchasing and the kitchen staff who prepare food served in the school cafeteria. School. There are many key stakeholders at the school level who must be engaged to start a school food share and donation program. These include the principal, kitchen managers and staff, the custodial department, and other key leaders, who might include student and staff members of a school green team. Appendix B Oregon School Food Share Program Guide B-3 ------- Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Page intentionally left blank Appendix B ------- APPENDIX C. COMMUNICATION RESOURCES This appendix includes the following resources: CI. Draft Agenda for School Site Selection Call C2. Memorandum of Understanding Between School/School District and Recipient Organization C3. Sample Food Donation and Share Table Policy C4. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to School Staff C5. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to Parents C6. Cafeteria Student and Staff Instructions C7. Kitchen Manager Checklist for Starting a Food Share and Donation Program C8. Checklist for Call with Donation Organization C9. Cafeteria Posters and Signage Appendix C Oregon School Food Share Program Guide C-1 ------- CI. Draft Agenda for School Site Selection Call The purpose of this agenda is to support a school district-led call with potential school food share pilot participants. Use this agenda as a starting point to begin communicating about the who, what, where, when, and why of the program. Hold the meeting in person or virtually and allow time for people to ask questions. Be sure to provide a central point of contact to streamline communication. Example Agenda 1. Welcome and introductions 2. Why are we doing this? Background, purpose, and value of pilot initiatives 3. What is a school food share table, how does it work? 4. Roles, responsibilities, and expectations for a successful pilot 5. Anticipated timeline 6. Resources the school district or other partner agencies will provide 7. Questions C-2 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix C ------- C2. Memorandum of Understanding Between School/School District and Recipient Organization Adapt the example language below to create a memorandum of understanding with a food donation recipient organization. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING This memorandum of understanding (MOU) is intended to clarify the roles, responsibilities, and expectations between the [Donor] and [Recipient] related to food donation. Background The [Donor] School is piloting/implementing a program to donate unopened food to [Recipient]. We expect to be able to donate approximately pounds of edible food (primarily milk, yogurt, string cheese, muffins, bananas, and other fruit) each month. Purpose This MOU will: Serve as a model of an innovative and progressive full circle educational program of food production and conservation, in keeping with the Oregon Green Schools programs. Facilitate provision of healthy, wholesome food to [Recipient]. Save the school system money on food waste disposal costs. The above goals will be accomplished by undertaking the following activities: [Recipient] will: Provide a representative (staff and/or volunteer) to meet with the school liaison to provide information about the program. Provide a volunteer to pick up the school food times per week following an agreed-upon schedule. Provide pre-sterilized bins to transport the food from school to the food bank. Weigh and record all food received from each school upon arrival at the food bank and provide a copy of this data monthly to [Donor]. Provide ongoing assistance, support, and consulting to participating schools. [Donor] will: Provide a point of contact to work with [Recipient]. Support and proactively encourage participation with lunchroom supervisors and students. Provide cooler/refrigerator space to store food for donation until [Recipient] can pick it up per the agreed- upon schedule. Agree to post flyers/posters in the lunchroom that are provided to educate students on the program. Appendix C Oregon School Food Share Program Guide C-3 ------- Important regulatory information Several federal laws encourage food donation in the United States by providing liability protection to donors or tax incentives. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was created to encourage the donation of food and grocery products to qualified nonprofit organizations and provides liability protection to food donors. Under this act, if the donor has not acted with negligence or intentional misconduct, the organization is not liable for damage incurred as the result of illness. The U.S. Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 specifies procurement contract language encouraging federal agencies and contractors of federal agencies to donate excess wholesome food to eligible non- profit organizations to feed food-insecure people in the United States. Duration This MOU is at-will and may be modified by mutual consent of authorized officials from the [Donor] and [Recipient]. This MOU shall become effective upon signature by the authorized officials from both parties and will remain in effect until modified or terminated by any one of the parties by mutual consent. Authorized representative [Donor] Date: Authorized representative [Recipient] Date: C-4 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix C ------- C3. Sample Food Donation and Share Table Policy These sample policies were developed by Beaverton School District and streamlined over time with input from stake- holders, staff and volunteers. The content has been adapted to fit this space and lightly edited for clarity. BEAVERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT NUTRITION SERVICES Food Donation Program Policy and Procedures The Beaverton School District Nutrition Services Department food donation program seeks to contrib- ute to the goal of reducing hunger and waste in the Portland Metro Region by coordinating food donation pickups each week. Donations are delivered to agencies including The Sunshine Pantry, The Rock Creek Church Pantry, Westside Food Brigade, Good Neighbor Shelter, St. Johns Food Share, Community Action Shelter, and Urban Gleaners. Policy All Beaverton cafeterias donate to food rescue agencies weekly. Leftover prepared breakfast and lunch entrees and components will be cooled and packaged for donation; volunteers will be scheduled to pick up and deliver to pantries via an assigned volunteer coordinator. Procedures All foods designated for donation will be recorded, prepared, and packaged for volunteer pickup using the following guidelines. 1. Record all donated foods on production record in PrimeroEdge by entering "FD" in the comments cell for each entree type donated. If you are donating items that are not prepared such as a la carte or discontinued products, enter these items in Prim- eroEdge as a withdrawal; refer to Tab #9a and select reason "Food Donation." 2. List items that will be donated on the food donation slip. This will be sent to the pantry with donated food and initialed by volunteer. 3. Donation suggestions: » Cooked entrees or components of hot entrees and side dishes refer to cooling processes » Salad bar items that remained in cold storage at 41° or less » Cold entrees e.g., deli sandwiches and salads that remained at 41° or less » Produce, dairy items, or a la carte that will expireenter these items in PrimeroEdge as a withdrawal; refer to Tab #9a and select reason "food donation" » Expired a la carte items such as chips, snacks, and packaged or wrapped cookies Do not donate the following products: » Cut lettuce, leafy greens, and sliced or diced tomatoes that have been on a salad bar and out of temperature control » Cut melon » Bread products including bread ends, partial loaves or packages, and cooked bread products such as garlic toast and waffle sticks » Pizza that is dark in color; overcooked or burnt foods » Dairy products that will not expire » Juice that can be frozen » Produce products that will not expire 4. Cool all hot foods thoroughly before packaging for donation; follow the Standard Operating Procedure #16, "Cooling Potentially Hazardous Foods," in the HACCP booklet for guidelines. DO NOT DONATE HOT FOOD. 5. Foods must be wrapped in plastic (use plastic wrap or plastic bags) or foil. Place the wrapped food in clean cardboard boxes. Use plastic containers for semi-liquid items, e.g., pasta with meat sauce. 6. When freezing donations in plastic containers, food must first be thoroughly cooled following the cooling guidelines. Date and label the container using a permanent marker. Appendix C Oregon School Food Share Program Guide C-5 ------- 7. Hot or cold sandwiches (burgers, chicken sand- wiches, etc., or any deli sandwiches) may be frozen and held for donation pickup. Cool sandwiches and save up to 3 days after service day for donation or freeze. 8. Leftovers that are components of entrees such as rice, mashed potatoes, or protein items may be kept in a cooler up to 4 days after the service day. These items may also be frozen for donation. 9. Salad bar backup items from cold storage may be donated if not usedthis includes potentially hazard- ous foods that have remained at 41° or lower. 10. Salad bar items off the salad bar that are not potentially hazardous can be donated to the "Waste Not Food Taxi"these items include carrots, fresh broccoli, celery, peppers, and onions. 11. Label and date donation boxes with "Food Donation" so there is no mistake about which food is saved for donation. Include a donation slip noting what foods are in donation boxes and send with donated foods. 12. Store the boxes close together in a refrigerator or freezer. Place a "Food Donation" sign on the refriger- ator door where the food is stored. 13. A spreadsheet will be sent to leads each school year showing scheduled volunteers. Leads can email the volunteer coordinator with pickup issues or needs by contacting: [volunteer coordinator contact informa- tion]. C-6 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix C ------- BEAVERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT NUTRITION SERVICES Sharing Tables Policy The purpose of having "Sharing" or "No Thank You" tables is to reduce food waste; students may place unwanted foods in a designated area to share. Students who are still hungry can help themselves to food set on the table during specific meal service periods. Procedures 1. Site leads will notify administration of this nutrition services policy. 2. Nutrition services staff are responsible for oversee- ing and ensuring that food safety guidelines are followed. 3. Sharing tables are best located near tray drop areas and close to garbage cans where students can clearly see signs. 4. Foods collected that will be returned to service will not be withdrawn in PrimeroEdge. 5. Best practices include the following: a. Designate a specific location for the sharing table b. The designated return bin must be a pan with ice sheets or a sharing refrigerator c. Provide signage at the sharing table d. Allow students to visit the sharing table during their immediate meal period e. At the end of meal service, items will be checked for quality and tampering and may be returned for service; whole fruit must be washed thor- oughly f. Potentially hazardous foods (PHFs) at or below 41° (milk, yogurt, cheese) and shelf-stable items must be wiped off with a sanitized towel and returned to service 6. Food safety: Foods and beverages that can be shared fall into two separate categories, PHFs and non-PHFs. Foods that do not meet the criteria below are not safe to be shared. a. Non-PHFs that do not require monitoring, refrig- eration, or other handling before they are served again include: i. Whole pieces of fruit. ii. Unopened packages of food or beverages that are shelf-stable, e.g., packages of apple- sauce cups, hummus cups. iii. Packaged apple slices, baby carrots, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. These items must be refrigerated after meal service (for sites with sharing refrigerators) or dis- carded after meal service has ended that day. iv. Shelf-stable items such as hummus cups and applesauce cups placed on sharing tables may be wiped off with a sanitized towel and returned for service. v. Whole fruit will be checked for quality and tampering then washed and returned for service. b. PHFs that require refrigeration or other handling while being offered during meal service are listed below. To meet Washington County health regula- tions governing food safety, these items must be handled appropriately. i. Unopened packages of food or beverages that require storage at or below 41° (e.g., cartons of milk or yogurt, packages of cheese) must be tossed at the end of meal service if over 41°. ii. Heated unopened packaged/sealed entrees (e.g., burritos) must be discarded after each meal service. c. Sites with sharing table refrigerators. i. If packaged items are to be offered on subsequent days, they must be held at 41° or below. Items such as packaged apple slices, baby carrots, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that don't already have "use by dates" must be labeled with the original date of service and disposed of within 3 days of the service date. Note: All items from sharing tables are available for the duration of meal service for students only; items left after service will go back to kitchen inventory and must not be taken from the cafeteria. Appendix C Oregon School Food Share Program Guide C-7 ------- C4. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to School Staff From: School Principal To: All School Staff Subject: New School Food Share Program Hello Teachers and Staff, Next week, our school will begin a new district-approved, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-encouraged school food share program in the cafeteria. The goal of the program is to minimize wasted food. We want to encourage students to save unopened and whole fruit they do not care to eat rather than throwing it away. This food will be collected and sent to our local food bank for immediate distribution to people in our commu- nity. Each day, students will be invited to donate any unwanted, unopened, packaged food (muffins, yogurt, string cheese, unopened milk, etc.) from their school meals for redistribution as an alternative to putting it in the trash or compost bin. Note that items from lunches brought from home are not eligible for donation. There is no action required on your part, but your support for the program is much appreciated. Thank you! C5. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to Parents From: School Principal To: Student Parents Subject: Announcing School Food Share Program Hello Parents, The [Name] School District is launching a school food share program this week. This program is intended to recover whole, edible food from school cafeterias to distribute to local food banks. Each day, students will be invited to donate any unopened, packaged food from their meals (muffins, yogurt, string cheese, unopened milk, etc.) that they do not care to eat. This food will be collected and sent to our local food bank for immediate distribution to people in our community. We always encourage kids to eat as much as they would like, and then donate anything that is left over and unopened. Note that items from lunches brought from home are not eligible for donation. We are excited to participate in this program, which helps teach our students about the importance of not wasting food and helping feed others in our community. If you have any questions about this program, would like to volunteer with the program, or do not want your children to participate, please reply to me directly. Thank you, [Principal Name] C-8 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix C ------- C6. Cafeteria Student and Staff Instructions At the beginning of school or before a meal, the principal or lunch supervisor can make this announcement: Hi everyone! Today, [School Name] is starting the school food share program. We will collect whole, unopened food you do not want or cannot eat. It is important for your success at school to eat as much of your lunch as possible, but we will donate unopened extras. The way you can help is simple. If there are foods you do not want to eat, place them on the share table. Other students are welcome to pick up these foods to add to their lunches. At the end of lunch, student volunteers will collect all leftover food and put it in the refrigerator for the food bank to pick up. There are a few rules to follow, so please pay attention! The food you can put on the share table includes unopened milk, unopened packaged food, and whole fruits. Examples of good things to donate include unopened applesauce, yogurt, muffins, apples, bananas, and granola bars. Please do not donate food that you bring from home. After lunch, we will put the food into the refrigerator and give it to [Food Recipient], They share it with indi- viduals and families in our community. Thanks for your help. REMEMBER, eat your food first. We only want to donate food you cannot eat. We will remind you again right before lunch is over. Thank you for your help! C7. Kitchen Manager Checklist for Starting a Food Share and Donation Program Kitchen managers should use this checklist as a starting point for tracking key items needed for a food share and donation program. Small grants or resources from local government solid waste and recycling programs may be available to offset startup costs. ~ Crates and ice packs for collecting recovered items and storing them prior to pickup ~ Signage for collection containers ~ Posters for cafeteria ~ Sufficient storage in refrigerators ~ Tracking logs for stored food ~ Explicit protocol for people handling perishable items (make sure perishable items do not stay out for more than one hour unless held on ice) ~ Agreed upon storage areas from which donation recipients pick up donated items (both refrigerated and non-refrigerated) Appendix C Oregon School Food Share Program Guide C-9 ------- C8. Checklist for Call with Donation Organization Use the measurement data collected during the food waste audit to answer the following questions that food rescue organizations are likely to ask when you call. You may also want to ask them questions about what food they accept, and how it should be packaged, as noted below. Questions the food rescue organization may ask: ~ What food items does the school have to donate? ~ What is the total number of items or the estimated total weight by item type? ~ Are the food items packaged? Are the ingredients labeled on these items? ~ What is the shelf life of the food items available for donation? ~ Do food items have a "best if used by" or "sell by" date? ~ Do the food items for donation require repack and date labeling to be donated? For example, unserved hot bar items could be donated if they were portioned out into to-go containers for pickup. ~ If items do require re-packing, does the school have the space, staff, and resources to do this? ~ What is the volume and frequency with which you have these items for donation? Are items generated on a weekly, monthly, or annual basis? ~ How often do these food items need to be picked up? ~ Does the school have a way to maintain time and temperature requirements for foods that need to be kept hot/ cold? ~ What is your storage capacity to hold food items until there are enough to warrant pickup by a food rescue agency? Questions to ask the food rescue organization: ~ What food items are accepted by the organization? ~ If commercially packaged items are not labeled individually, what is the best method for providing ingredient and allergen information? C-IO Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix C ------- C9. Cafeteria Posters and Signage This section provides examples of posters and signage that are freely available and can be downloaded for use in your own school. USDA Reducing Food Waste Infographic USDA United States Department of Agriculture u I N F««D WASTE WHAT SCHOOLS CAN DO TODAY USOA's Economic Research Service estimates ft ^ of the overall food supply 31 ¦'-ft i t Scheduling recess before lunch can reduce plate waste by r 30% Extendinq lunch periods from 20to30 minutes reduced plate waste by nearly one-third BEST PRACTICES ACCORDING TO SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE DIRECTORS Involve students in menu planning and conducting taste tests, implement Offer versus Serve at all grade levels, provide more menu choices, serve foods with familiar flavors, serve ready-to-eat fruit, and invite school staff and teachers to eat meals with students. Ibw£ju X SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE STEPPING UP TO THE CHALLENGE WITH INNOVATIVE NEW STRATEGIES, SUCH AS: Composting food waste for school gardens Allowing students to keep a lunch or breakfast food item for consumption later in the school day Using techniques listed on the USDA's Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste Audits to help reduce food waste Setting up a table for kids to place items they are not going to consume (packaged or pre-portioned items) Letting kids self-serve Collaborating with local fanners on composting or food-scrap projects Collecting excess wholesome food after mealtimes to donate to charitable organizations Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, (n.d,). Reducing Food Waste: What Schools Can Do Today. Available at https://www.usda.qov/sites/default/files/documents/reducinq-food-waste-infoaraphic.pdf Appendix C Oregon School Food Share Program Guide C-11 ------- Food Share Table Sign from StopWasle (Alameda County, California) Source: StopWaste. (n.d.) Food Share: Uneaten, Unopened Items Only. Available at http://www.stopwaste.ora/ resource/food-share-table-siqn?paae=search Blank Oregon Green Schools Food Share Table Sign FOOD SHARE TABLE NO THANK YOU TABLE Customize your own share table sign with these templates! PowerPoint versions of these signs are available on the OGS website and allow you to customize your sign with foods actually served in your school. For more information, visit https://oreqonqreenschools.org/resources-alt. C-12 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix C ------- EPA and Oregon Green School Food Share Poster KIt>SCA6.E SCU&6L SHMtE FEEDING PEOPLE PROTECTING THE PLANET SAVING MONEY WHAT CAM I $>6UAT£? ~ Commercial packages of non-perishable food, unopened and in good condition (granola, muffins, jerky, nuts, dried fruits, applesauce, bagged carrots or apple slices). ~ Whole produce with non-edible rind (orange, banana). ~ Sealed bottles of water, cartons of juice, or other beverages. X X WHAT CfitUT I X>6Ufi,TZ? Anything opened or with a bite out of it! HOT food or food that was heated. Any homemade items. Refrigerated or packaged items brought from home in student lunches. OREGON GREEN SCHOOLS SERA United States Environmental Protection Agency Customize your own share table poster with this template! PowerPoint versions of this poster are available on the OGS website and allow you to customize the sign with the foods actually served in your cafeteria. For more information, visit https://oreqonqreenschools.org/resources-alt. Appendix C Oregon School Food Share Program Guide C-13 ------- Example Food Collection Labels School Food Share Items School: Pickup Day(s) and Time: For additional pickups or questions, contact: Food Bank Name: Email: Phone: Please keep perishable foods at proper temperature. Customize your own food collection labels with these templates! PowerPoint versions of these labels are available on the OGS website and allow you to customize the signage. For more information, visit https://oreqonqreenschools.org/ resources-alt. C-14 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix C ------- Example Share Table Tracking Sheet Date: School Name: Lunch Period: Name of table supervisor: Instructions: This form should be used to track the products returned to the share table and stored by your school for re-service at another meal or donation. Note: USDA recommends that foods are re-used within schools just once. It is important to track the following dates and times by adding accurate dates and times and signing your initials next to the entry. ~ Date & Time Received: when foods are received on the share table. ~ Date & Time Packed & Stored: when foods are returned to the kitchen for use in a future food service or are packed for donation pickup. ~ Date & Time Re-used or Picked-up: When foods are re-served for another meal or snack or are picked up for donation. Does product need to be kept at temperature? (Y/N) If kept at time and temperature, indicate time held at what temp. Date & Time Re-used or Picked-up Food safety reminders: ~ USDA guidance suggests that schools maintain proper temperature and temperature logs (for 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below) by storing food components in a temperature-controlled storage bin, such as an ice tub or cooler. ~ Perishable foods such as milk, bagged carrots or apples, yogurt, and string cheese must be kept cool. ~ Ensure that milk is never left out for more than four cumulative hours. ~ Foods with an edible peel should be rewashed before reservice or donation. ~ Make sure you note expiration dates on packaged foods. ~ When storing share table and donation items, do not intermix these items with cafeteria items that have not yet been prepared and served. For additional pickups or questions, contact: Food Bank Name: Email: Phone: Appendix C Oregon School Food Share Program Guide C-15 ------- Page intentionally left blank C-16 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix C ------- APPENDIX D. EXAMPLE FOOD WASTE AUDIT AND DIVERSION GUIDES D1. Food Waste Audit and Diversion Guides The table below provides examples of food waste audit and diversion guides you can dig into to learn more about how to measure and reduce food waste. Resource Name Organization Brief Description OGS Green Lunchrooms School Cafeteria Audit Guide Oregon Green Schools This comprehensive guide will help you conduct a food waste audit. It also provides useful resources for audit implementation including waste audit forms, signage, and information about how to track and weigh food. A Guide to Conductina and Analvzina a Food Waste Assessment U.S. EPA This guide explains how to conduct a food waste assessment and discusses how to use the baseline audit measurement to set goals and track progress. A Guide to Conductina Student Food Waste Audits: A Resource for Schools U.S. EPA, USDA, University of Arkansas This guide provides information on why and how to do a food waste audit, what to do with the data collected, and offers food waste prevention ideas. K-12 Food Waste Diver- sion Guide RecyclingWorksMA This guide provides a basic framework to manage the food waste diversion process at a school and identify strategies for dealing with food that is collected. The diversion guide also helps a school determine additional food waste management options including on-site composting, commercial hauling, or partnering with local farmers. Food Waste Warrior Toolkit World Wildlife Fund (WWF) This toolkit includes a one-page outline of how to conduct an informal food waste audit to show students exactly how much food is wasted at school and at home. The resource is targeted at students in grades 3-5. Appendix D Oregon School Food Share Program Guide D-1 ------- D2. Example Food Waste Audit Worksheets Instructions for Interviewers and Sorters Interviewers 1. Interview the student. Interviewers will have a clipboard, pencil, and interview sheet. When students walk to the disposal station with their trays, the interviewer says: "Hello, we are taking a survey, and we would like to ask for your input. I'm going to ask you about the food left on your tray and write down what you thought about it." Look at their tray and mark down which food items the student left unfinished, including drinks. 2. Record uneaten food. Look at the student's tray and record which item the student did not eat. Mark each unfinished food item down on the log sheet, one item per line. For each item, ask the student "Can you tell us why you didn't finish your [name of food]?" and write down what they say. Only give one reason per itemhis or her main reason. Try to get an answer that can help staff fix the problem. Answers like "didn't like it" or "tasted gross" are not helpful answers. Instead, ask a more specific question like "What about the taste didn't you like?" 3. Thank the student. Ask them to leave their tray on the table. If there are many students lining up for interviews, be brief with each student to get a response from as many students as possible. Lunch dismissal should not be delayed by this process, so adjust the number of students interviewed to keep the line moving. 4. Bonus! If time is available, ask the student if they have any ideas about how to reduce wasted food and write their suggestions down on the log sheet. Interview examples Interviewer: Why didn't you finish your chicken? Student: 1 didn't like it. Interviewer: What about it didn't you like? Student: It was kind of cold. j Z-M1 . '1 , 'a Write down "cold" for "chicken." Interviewer: Why didn't you finish your carrots? 11 (Hi- ifcJIJli4i Student: 1 knew 1 wasn't going to like it. Interviewer: What about them don't you like? Student: Really, it was my only choice. Write down "no other choice" for "carrots" Sorters 1. Ensure student has spoken to interviewer before they give you their tray. Ideally, interviewers should talk to students first. If a student tries to hand a tray directly to the food sorter, ask them to take it to one of the interviewer volunteers first unless there is a long line forming and dismissal will be affected. 2. Sort all items on the lunch tray. Sort items by category. If the item doesn't fit into an existing category, speak with the food waste audit leader. You will most likely have an "other" category into which miscella- neous items fit. D-2 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix D ------- Student Interview Sheet Lunch Period Type of food Reason for throwing it away Appendix D Oregon School Food Share Program Guide D-3 ------- Green Lunchrooms Information and Audit Sheets Collect information to answer the questions on this page prior to the audit. General information How many students are enrolled at your school? How many lunches does your school serve per day? How many breakfasts does your school serve per day? Does your school offer snacks in the classroom? How much does your school currently pay for garbage service? Sustainability checklist - Does your school: Yes NO Use washable plates Use washable trays Use washable silverware Use washable cups for water Use washable cups for milk Have a milk dispenser Offer straws Have a share table Have recycling available in the cafeteria that is well-managed (not contaminated) Have monitors helping with the sort/separation of items at the disposal line Dump milk in a bucket to keep liquids out of the garbage Collect food scraps for compost. If yes, does your school collect all food, or only fruits and vegetables? Use condiment dispensers instead of packets Serve salad in plastic, disposable clamshells Serve fruit or other item in disposable plastic cups Serve food items in paper boats D-4 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix D ------- Record data from the audit in the table below. Major category names are reflected in bold, and subcategories in italics. The summed value of all subcategories should equal the value reflected in each major category. Edit the table to tailor the subcategories relevant to your school. Cafeteria Category Weight in pounds Volume in gallons Food eligible for share table/donation Unopened milk Unopened packaged foods Whole fruit Unfinished food from trays/plates Fruits and vegetables Packaged foods Milk Stop here if you are conducting a food waste audit only Continue if you are doing a trash audit in addition to a food waste audit Cafeteria recycling Aluminum cans Plastic bottles Paper goods Other trash Milk cartons Plastic utensils Disposable trays Cold lunch trash Some schools include kitchen waste in their audits. Complete the below if you plan to do so. Un-served food from kitchen Kitchen recycling Appendix D Oregon School Food Share Program Guide D-5 ------- Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Page intentionally left blank Appendix D ------- APPENDIX E. RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES Following is a list of recognition opportunities for reducing wasted food which come from the federal government and other public and private sector organizations. El. Oregon Green SchoolsGreen Lunchroom Certification Organization: Oregon Green Schools (OGS) Overview: Join OGS as a Certified Oregon Green School for hands-on assistance, curriculum resources, funding resources, recognition, and events. Any school can join, whether the school has established a resource conservation program or is just getting started. OGS applicants have the choice to certify in several different tracks related to school sustainability including Green Lunchrooms, Waste Reduction and Recycling, and other resource conservation tracks designed to get your students engaged and recognized for being environmental leaders. Certified schools are invited to send student green teams to an annual summit where they can share their school's unique environmental programs, get inspiration from other student green teams, and celebrate their accomplishments. How to Participate: By developing and implementing a school food share program guide, your school is already completing many of the necessary steps to becoming an Oregon Green School. Leverage your efforts by joining OGS for additional technical assistance and recognition opportunities! To become a Certified Oregon Green School, schools should follow these steps: Build a team. Recruit an enthusiastic staff member to coordinate your resource efficiency program and involve students and staff from the start. If your school created a green team, you could use your existing team to coordi- nate with OGS. Get help. Contact your local Green Schools coordinator for help with planning, waste audits, educational resources, school tools, and inspiration. Make a plan. Decide what your recycling, waste reduction, and resource conservation goals are and how your school will meet them. Use the OGS application form to help organize your goals and action plan and document your achievements. Get going. Involve students and staff to work toward your goals and keep track of progress. When your program is underway, send your completed OGS application to your coordinator. Recognition Opportunities: Each year, students and staff from participating schools and OGS coordinators are invited to the Green Schools Summit for a full day of celebration, learning, and networking. You can also recognize student and staff efforts with assemblies, awards, and letters of recognition! Additionally, your OGS coordinator can help share your successes with the community through news releases and other outreach. Learn more: Visit the Oregon Green Schools website for more information, contact vour local Green Schools coordinator, and watch this short video on why vour school should become an Oregon Green School. Appendix E Oregon School Food Share Program Guide E-1 ------- E2. Fuel Up to Play 60 Organization: Partnership of the National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC) Overview: Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60) is a leading national in-school health and wellness program launched by the NFL and NDC, founded by America's dairy farmers in collaboration with the United States Department of Agri- culture (USDA). FUTP 60 empowers students and educators to work together to build healthier schools and create healthy, high achieving students. The program offers a variety of opportunities for adults, students, and schools, from in-school wellness initiatives to funding and recognition opportunities. Since launching in 2009, more than 73,000 schools have enrolled in the program. How to Participate: Students, educators, parents, and the community can get their school involved by enrolling in the program to access customizable program components including a Fuel Up to Play 60 Plavbook. tools and resources, in-school materials, personalized educator and student dashboards, and opportunities for rewards. Use the Playbook to strategize ways to make students eat healthy, waste less, and get active. Teachers or school administrators can sign up to be a Program Advisor which allows schools to apply for FUTP 60 funds, become a Touchdown School, and become eligible for contests with NFL-themed prizes. The Playbook provides additional resources and quick-start guides to get started. Recognition Opportunities: Share student stories, videos, and pictures on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram tagging FUTP 60 (Facebook: @FuelUpToPlay60 | Twitter and Instagram: @FUTP60) and using #FuelGreatness! Members can submit their stories on the FUTP 60 website for a chance to be featured. Learn more: Visit the FUTP 60 webpage to get involved. E-2 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix E ------- APPENDIX F. KEY RESOURCES TO SUPPORT SCHOOL FOOD WASTE REDUCTION This appendix includes the following sections: (Fl) Share Program Toolkits, (F2) Share Program Guidance from Other Jurisdictions, (F3) Food Waste Resource Hubs, and (F4) Additional Resources. Fl. Food Share Program Toolkits Resource name Organization Brief Description Wastinq Less Food in K-12 School Settinas: Best Prac- tices for Success Natural Resources Defense Council This four-page resource highlights how to prevent food waste, ensure that surplus food reaches people in need, and how to recycle food scraps. It provides specific tips for reducing food waste generated in kitchens and cafeterias and provides targeted strategies for preventing recover- able food from going to the landfill. Food Waste Warrior Toolkit World Wildlife Fund This toolkit provides lessons, activities, and resources to educate students about how food and food waste impacts the planet. It also includes information about how to conduct a food waste audit. Note: WWFcontinually updates the website as new materials are developed. Enablina Share Tables in the National School Lunch Proaram: Leaal Review and Best Manaaement Practices U.S. EPA, USDA, University of Arkansas This one-page guide summarizes the three ways in which USDA encourages redistribution of recoverable food and identifies best management practices. Is also provides information about food safety, source reduction, redistri- bution, and donation information. Sharinq the Table: A Roadman to Reducina and Recoverinq Surplus Food in Schools U.S. Green Building Council Center for Green Schools This resource provides a roadmap to help the reader create and implement a food waste reduction and recovery program. Zero Waste Cafeteria series U.S. Green Building Council Center for Green Schools This three-part webinar series covers the benefits, challenges, and logistics associated with zero waste cafeterias. It includes an overview of how to implement a robust school food re-use and reduction program, the importance of culture shift when working toward a zero- waste cafeteria, and the critical role that measurement plays in achieving zero waste goals. Food Matters Action Kit Commission for Environmental Cooperation This toolkit is loaded with informative resources and hands- on, creative activities to inspire kids of all ages to prevent food waste at home, at school and in the community. Appendix F Oregon School Food Share Program Guide F-1 ------- F2. Share Program Guidance from Other Jurisdictions Resource name Organization Brief Description Share Tables & Food Donation in Schools: Best Practices for Los Anaeles Countv Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Cali- fornia) This guide addresses basic questions about share tables and donation as they relate to county educational agencies in California. It also provides step-by-step information and best practices for schools starting a share table and donation program. Washinaton School Food Share Proaram Toolkit U.S. EPA U.S. EPA and a coalition of partner organizations in Washington state developed this resource to recover and redirect edible food from schools to local food banks. This program outlines the steps for food share and donation program development and implementation and is a useful reference for schools in any state. Food Share Table and Donation Guides for Schools StopWaste (Alameda County, California) The Food Share Table Guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up a food share table where students put unwanted, sealed or uneaten foods for other students and for donation. The Food Donation Guide provides an overview to set up a donation program for edible surplus foods. The donation guide includes legal protections, program models and food safety consider- ations. Food Sharinq Tables - Guidance for Schools Vermont Depart- ment of Health This factsheet includes checklists and best practices that may help schools start a food share table program. Food Waste Reduction in School Meals Iowa Department of Education This toolkit was developed to pilot school food waste audits and assessments in Iowa schools. The Sharing Table Fact Sheet provides an overview of best practices, procedures, and food safety for schools implementing share tables. F-2 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix F ------- F3. Food Waste Resources Further with Food: Center for Food Loss and Waste Solutions Further with Food This information clearinghouse provides access to collected resources focused on reducing food loss and waste in the United States. This resource is used by businesses, government entities, investors, nonprofit organiza- tions, academics, and individuals to find and share information about proven solutions and innovative new approaches to reduce the volume of surplus food generated, feed food-insecure people, and divert wasted food to the highest beneficial use. Note: ,4s of September 2020, the Further with Food landing page is no longer actively updated, though it still houses useful resources. Food Loss and Waste USDA Leverage this site for strategies, additional resources, and curriculum to help reduce food waste in schools. Key resources include: USDA Food Loss and WasteSchools Selected New and Onaoina Food Loss and Waste Reduction Activities Winnina on Reducina Food Waste U.S. EPA, U.S. FDA, USDA This site presents an interagency strategy developed by EPA, FDA, and USDA that prioritizes action areas to reduce food loss and waste. Additional resources include: FDA Food Loss and Waste FDA Food Waste Animations ReFED Resources ReFED ReFED is a multi-stakeholder nonprofit powered by an influential network of the nation's leading business, nonprofit, foundation, and government leaders committed to reducing U.S. food waste. ReFED takes a data-driven approach to move the food system and identified 27 of the best opportuni- ties outlined in the Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste, a first-of-its-kind economic analysis, making it easier for stakeholders across the food supply chain to meet the national 50% reduction goal by 2030. Key resources include: Economic Analvsis of Food Waste Solutions Roadman to Reduce U.S. Food Waste Guidelines to Help Food Service Businesses Include Food Waste Reduc- tion in their COVID-19 Ooeratina Plans Food Matters Action Kit Commission for Environmental Cooperation This kit is loaded with informative resources and hands-on, creative activities to inspire youth of all ages to prevent food waste at home, at school, and in their communities. The Action Kit contains two sets of activities, each addressing food waste from farm to fork. The Kids' Action Kit is designed for ages five to 13, and the Youth Action Kit for ages 14 to 25. Appendix F Oregon School Food Share Program Guide F-3 ------- FA. Additional Resources Resource name Organization Brief Description Excess Food OoDor- tunities Mao U.S. EPA This interactive map supports nationwide diversion of excess food from landfills. It identifies and displays facility-specific information about potential generators and recipients of excess food in the indus- trial, commercial, and institutional sectors and provides estimates of excess food by generator type. Food Safetv Reaula- tions and Guidance for Food Donations Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic This study was undertaken to identify and analyze state-level legis- lation, regulations, and guidance around food safety for restaurant and retail food donations. The survey was conducted by the Food Safety for Donations Working Group, an informal coalition working to promote a better understanding of safe food donation practices to support more recovery of safe, edible food. Develooinq A+ Marketinq Materials Presentation School Nutrition Association (SNA) This presentation from the 2019 SNA Annual National Conference provides tips on how to use Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher to make your school marketing materials stand out. The presentation also provides information on how to work with graphic designers, printing services, and school staff to distribute your materials. F-4 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix F ------- APPENDIX G. CASE STUDIES OF SCHOOL FOOD SHARE PROGRAMS IN OREGON SCHOOLS Appendix G Oregon School Food Share Program Guide G-1 ------- Oregon Green Schools Case Study Beaverton School District Nutrition Services Food Share Source Reduction Feeding the Community Feed Animals industrial Uses Compost Landfill NO THANK VOU WHOLE FRUIT AND APPLESAUCE For more than 10 years, the Beaverton School District Nutrition Services Department has been reducing hunger and waste in the Portland Metro Region by coordinating weekly food donation pickups and facilitating share tables in school cafeterias. Making district-wide donation work! Beaverton School District Fast Facts Beaverton, Oregon is located on the western border of Portland and is included in the Portland metro area. 3rd largest school district in the state 74 schools 41,215 students enrolled, as of Oct. 2019 35.6% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch Key milestones 2007: Pilot donation begins at 3 schools Spring Break 2009: Began pilot with 33 school kitchens donating and launched an online volunteer sign up totaling 35 school sites 2010: 45 school sites donating 2011: 50 school sites donating Starting in 2007, Beaverton Nutrition Services Department piloted a food donation program with the help of community and parent volunteers. Prior to 2007, Beaverton schools donated unused foods to the nearby Sunshine Pantry during unexpected closures due to inclement weather, but such donations were not consistent. Parents associated with three schools we re interested in giving regular donation a try and Sunshine Pantry was willing to accept donations. "Everything evolved organically. We started by identifying times when we were most likely to have surplus foods, like the week leading up to breaks, and set up consistent donations," said Val Bako, Beaverton School District's Field Supervisor for Nutrition Services. 2019: 52 school sites donating to / local organizations Refining donation procedures As more schools signed on, the district created the Beaverton School District Nutrition Services Food Donation Policy and Procedures document. The district has fine-tuned the document over the years as questions and concerns come up with staff, local and state authorities, and donation partners. Volunteer scheduling and transportation is one of the biggest logistical pieces for a successful food donation program, and it can be one of the most complex activities to coordinate. Beaverton partners with Waste Not Food Taxi, a local gleaner with a mission to eliminate hunger and reduce waste by distributing food to where it is most needed. Gleaners work closely with the community to understand where food is most needed and redistribute surplus food accordingly. Waste Not Food Taxi's Volunteer Coordinator, Susie Snortum, works with volunteers and school kitchens to ensure that each school has a volunteer to pick up the food weekly and deliver to their assigned donation partner. Waste Not Food Taxi contributes to the success of the donation program by providing consistent transportation for food donation efforts. Even if a site missed a pickup, Val could call the organization for an emergency pickup and the gleaner will provide food to organizations most in need. Food handling safety procedures have been refined with input from the Washington County Health Department and the Oregon Health Authority. The procedures identify which foods can and cannot be donated and how to track foods to ensure time and temperature safety requirements. The Oregon Department of Education gave the Beaverton Nutrition Services Department schools the green light to donate foods if schools followed proper procedures. Did you know? Food donation partners are protected through the Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation. which encourages the donation of food and grocery products to qualified nonprofit organi- zations and provides liability protection to food donors! G-2 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix G ------- Food packaging and labeling requirements were developed with feedback from donation partners. Initially, partners received unlabeled foods which made it difficult to distribute foods due to allergies or dietary requirements. Schools also donated large quantities of unportioned frozen foods which made it difficult for pantries to distribute reasonable portions by varying family size. After receiving this feedback, Beaverton Nutrition Services staff labelled foods clearly with menu item names and service dates, and packaged foods in small portions of four. District staff also helped simplify packaging by using bread bags or zip lock bags and containers from bulk products to store and transport foods. How do cafeterias benefit from food donation? Staff are always directed to minimize leftovers from meal service. Following implemen- tation of the donation program, kitchen staff are even more aware of the quantities of food they prepare and adjust on a weekly basis. Kitchen staff work with the school to understand what events might impact lunch counts. For example: Val recalls times when 30 to 40 meals were leftover due to events like field trips, class- room parties, or unusually high student absences. Now, kitchen leads work with the schoc daily to adjust service based on observed trends and upcoming events. According to Val, ten leftovers is "on target" since some leftovers are unavoidable. Leftovers might include five to ten hot sandwiches, daily hot entrees, or single meal com- ponents. While these daily numbers may not seem like a lot, they add up during the week Donating 50 sandwiches or meals means 50 more meals for those in need. Expanding to share tables In 2017, Beaverton Nutrition Services Department adopted a sharing table policy using USDA guidance to identify foods that could be collected and donated during weekly pickups: non-perishable items, wrapped foods, undamaged whole fruits and milk shared during the lunch period. The idea for share tables grew as an extension of existing food donation as staff noticed that required fruits and vegetables, such as packaged applesauce, were immediately thrown away after students left the point-of-sale line. School principals were hesitant to install share tables, worried that it might disrupt the lunch period or flow of traffic in the cafeteria. However, the strategic location of share table bins around the cafeteria and near service lines easily captures food that would otherwise be thrown away. It came as no surprise to Val that the bins "started filling up right away" with applesauce, milk, and whole fruits. Initially, the foods collected on share tables were added to the regular donations. However, after seeing the quality of items returned to the share table, the nutrition services department pivoted to collecting, washing and re-serving labeled foods at the school. This allows the schools to save money and ensure that as much food as possible is going to feed the school community. What lessons have been learned along the way? Transportation can make or break the donation program. A reliable volunteer coordinator like Waste Not Food Taxi makes for a successful food recovery program by ensuring food is picked up and distributed each week! Volunteers make it happen From parent volunteers and faith-based organization volunteers to Waste Not Food Taxi, the volun- teers are the ones who help keep the food donation program running. Stakeholder buy-in and positive peer review is important. Educating staff about the value of the program helped them commu- nicate the process and amount of time it takes to their peers. Over time, word of mouth spread the pilot's efforts and generated interest across the rest of the school district. The value of staff talking about the program and their involvement is extremely important and should not be underestimated! Beaverton Nutrition Services staff properly wrap and label food for donation using the steps outlined in the school district's policy and procedures document. Did you know? Schools can legally re-serve foods collected through share tables. Schools should ensure that all foods are collected and stored at the proper temperature by adding an ice pack to the bottom of the container or using a mini fridge. Learn more: USDA Guidance on The Use of Share Tables in Child Nutrition Programs. Appendix G Oregon School Food Share Program Guide G-3 ------- Put it in writing. Developing the food donation and share table policy documents captured best practices learned along the way from all stakeholders. Developing specific procedures keeps everyone safe and allows schools to participate in the program easily. Procedures also provide liability protection for donation partners by ensuring that all safeguards required by the local health department are implemented. Be clear on what can and cannot be donated. Making clear what can and cannot be donated ensures that food shared with donation partners will be consumed. Regular communication with your donation partner will help the process run smoothly and ensure that proper foods are donated. Developing such guidelines will also ensure that good food intended for use in schools is not accidentally donated! During the pilot, a kitchen lead accidentally donated a lot of milk that was not expired and could still be served at the school. This prompted Beaverton Nutrition Services Department to spell out a "do and do not donate" list. Additional Resources Thank you to Val Bako, Field Supervisor for Nutrition Services for Beaverton School District, for contributing to the develop- ment of the case study. Acknowledgements Beaverton School District Nutrition Services Food Donation Policy & Procedures and the Beaverton School District Nutrition Services Sharing Table Policy are both found in Appendix C of the Oregon School Food Share Program Guide. OREGON GREEN SCHOOLS SEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency G-4 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix G ------- Source Reduction Feeding the Community Feed Animals Industrial Uses Oregon Green Schools Case Study Canby School District Milk Dispenser Pilot Compost % Landfill % V Canby School District reduced food and packaging waste by replacing single use milk cartons with milk dispensers at six elementary schools. Why milk dispensers? Milk cartons make up at least 50 percent of the district's lunch trash volume. Canby School District Fast Facts 5,000 students 6 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 1 high school Milk dispenser pilot with one ele- mentary school in Canby (2016-2017) Results from one school year at all 6 Canby School District elementary schools: 200,000 fewer milk cartons to landfill 4,615 fewer gallons of milk pur- chased $18,600 saved in milk purchasing, a 50% reduction! Pilot expansion to 21 schools in 4 school districts across Clackamas County (2020-2021) Milk cartons are seldom empty and add weight to the garbage which may leak and cause injuries when the trash is removed. Milk cartons are difficult to prepare for recycling, requiring time to empty and rinse and in some areas the cartons are not recyclable at all! Sometimes called a "steel cow," a milk dispenser is a cost effective and sustainable alternative to serving milk in single-use cartons. With a milk dispenser, students can fill a reusable cup with the amount of milk they want to drink. Milk dispensers present one option for source reduction, the first tier in the EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy, by allowing students to dispense only the amount of milk they want to drink into reusable cups. They also negate consumption and disposal of more than 400 milk cartons per day per school. Milk dispensers are one solution to reduce waste, save money and ensure milk is distributed to students who want and need it. Canby School District's process for moving from carton to dispenser Step 1. Research funding. Clackamas County sustainability staff researched and designed a grant opportunity to cover the costs of installing milk dispensers for interested schools. Step 2. Conduct Outreach. Clackamas County's Waste Reduction Education Coordinator, Laurel Bates, sent an email to the Nutrition Services departments of all ten school districts in the county. She heard back from one district in the county, and one is all you need for a pilot! Step 3. Design and Conduct a Pilot The Nutrition Services Director identified two schools as candidates for the pilot. After the two schools were identified: The nutrition services director spoke with the dairy supplier about distributing milk in bags for the dispenser, and talked to principals early on to ensure continued buy-in. Laurel conducted cafeteria waste audits in both schools to gather baseline data. The district purchased necessary supplies to set up the program: a sturdy table or cart for the milk dispenser to sit on, reusable cups, dishwashing trays for reusable cups, and carts to carry the trays back to the kitchen. During the pilot launch, Laurel helped the school monitor the dispenser to teach students how to use the machine, and to answer questions. Appendix G Oregon School Food Share Program Guide G-5 ------- Step 4. Evaluate Results and Conduct More Outreach. The two pilot schools cut milk purchasing costs in half! After the pilot, Canby announced they wanted to roll out dispensers to all six of their elementary schools. After one school year of full implementation, Canby schools sent 200,000 fewer milk cartons to the landfill, purchased 4,615 fewer gallons of milk, and saved $18,600 in milk purchasing alone. This provided solid evidence that schools can save money by using steel cows. Laurel communicated the results to other school districts which created more interest across the county. Step 5. Expand. The program has since expanded into three other Clackamas County school districts. Since piloting in Canby School District, every other school district that tried a "pilot" has decided to expand milk dispensers to other schools. In two cases, after a pilot year, the school district rolled out milk dispensers to all elementary schools the subsequent year! Thanks to Canby taking the first step in 2017, the program expanded to 21 schools by the 2020-2021 school year. What were challenges of the milk dispenser pilot? Understanding how to meet federal nutrition guidelines with a dispenser. Schools are often con- cerned about meeting USDA guidelines which state that students are required to take at least three of five meal components, one of which is a fruit or vegetable. An 8-ounce serving of milk is only required if a student has not selected three other components. When students have three of five required meal components, they can decide for themselves if they want to consume milk during their meal. Changing business as usual Some schools were worried about increasing the risk of additional spills at the dispenser and creating extra work for custodians. However, schools have not experienced additional spills thanks to training and careful kids! Cost, time, and labor concerns A milk dispenser costs approximately $2,500. Additionally, schools need cups, dishwashing racks, and a table for the dispenser, putting the total cost around $4,500 for a 500-student elementary school. A Clackamas County grant opportunity helped schools make the initial investment. During the pilot, cafeteria staff found that the time it took to collect and wash reusable cups was less than expected. What's more, custodians do not have to empty the trash as often, which saves time and trash bags. Fun fact: Canby's milk dispensers were the first milk dispensers in Oregon public schools!* *ln the modern era. Did you know milk dispensers used to be commonplace in schools before the cultural shift to single-use, single-serve milk cartons? What were key lessons learned? Kids love the milk! Students report that the milk tastes better from the dispenser than it does from cartons. Also, students enjoy filling up their own cups! The self-service concept allows students to dispense as much as they want to drink and gives them the opportunity to mix white and chocolate milk. Customizing their milk choice results in less waste and less sugar consumed! Trust children! Trust children to not spill their milk moving through the cafeteria. A grandmother called one of the schools to say, "My five-year-old grandson is so proud that he can fill his own cup." Dispenser placement is important. Like a salad bar, the Oregon Department of Education requires that the milk dispenser be placed before the cash register to ensure that the meal meets USDA requirements as students are rung up. The location of the dispenser will depend on how a school runs the lunch period and may require some adjustment. Choose schools wisely. The milk dispenser pilot targeted only elementary schools in Clackamas County. The best candidates for milk dispensers are schools with high student participation in school lunch or "hot lunch" that occurs in the cafeteria space as opposed to the classroom or elsewhere across the campus, making elementary schools the best fit for milk dispensers. Work with suppliers to source dairy packaged in bags. Some dairies do not supply milk in bags. Furthermore, some schools may not be able to source from a dairy that provides milk in bags due to contract issues. Working with suppliers early on will help schools determine if a dispenser will work with current contracts. Additional Resources Want to see milk dispensers in action in a school? Watch this video from ones in use in Clackamas county. Acknowledgements Thank you to Laurel Bates, Waste Reduction Education Coordinator for Clackamas County, for contributing to the development of the case study. OREGON GREEN SCHOOLS &EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency G-6 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix G ------- Corbett School District Fast Facts 2 schools in the district 1,200 students Waste audit results ~ 157 lbs of food wasted per day ~ 23,079 lbs of food wasted each year Results of switching from dispos- able to durable dishware ~ $480 saved per month ~ 4,200 lbs. of trash reduced per week The Corbett School District is reducing waste and saving money through source switching from disposable to durable dishware and silverware in the lunchroom. Commitment to waste reduction Corbett School District's Food Services Director, Seth Tucker, is committed to waste reduction. With a background in the restaurant industry, Seth is familiar with the ins and outs of menu planning and meal preparation. When he took on the role of Food Services Director, he met with the superintendent of the school to discuss food waste reduction goals and potential cost savings for the school. Putting his experience to use, he immediately purchased durable dishware and silverware, replacing single-use trays, cups, plates, and utensils with reusable options. Right away Seth was able to demonstrate the benefits of this action: a reduction in trash generation of roughly 16,800 pounds per month and waste hauling savings of $480 per month! With Seth's careful planning and experience, the financial benefit of waste reduction was quickly demonstrated, and helped build trust with the school community. Conducting a food waste audit Seth brought in Sasha Swerdloff, a volunteer sustainability program coordinator with the Corbett School District, to develop additional sustainability projects for the school. Sasha coordinated with parent volunteers and school staff to conduct a one-day food waste audit in the cafeteria. During lunch service the school collected food waste and weighed it by category. This helped the team understand and pinpoint which foods made up the bulk of the cafeteria waste each day. The school identified fruit and milk as the top items thrown away by students. The audit results informed district-wide sustainability planning and future food waste reduction efforts. Thanks to his strong community ties, Seth partnered with a local food salvage non-profit called Helping Hands to donate excess ingredients and prepared foods to distribute to those in need. Seth and several of the Corbett cafeteria staff drive food to Helping Hands as it is available. Taking this small step diverts waste from the landfill and helps feed families experi- encing food insecurity. Additionally, in January 2020, the Corbett School District launched a new School Food Share Program to help reduce wasted food based on information collected from the food waste audit. The program aimed to recover uneaten and unopened food from the school cafeteria to repur- pose or redistribute to local food banks. Each day, students were invited Source Reduction Feeding the Community Feed Animals Industrial Uses Oregon Green Schools Case Study Corbett School District Waste Reduction Compost Donate Unopened Containers! reduction practices that include menu planning and Corbett School District One-day Food Waste Audit Results 17.8 9.6 14.8 ¦ Fruit Milk Turkey Salad Pasta Other Melt Bar Salad Food Item What's next? Did you know? USDA Guidance on The Use of Share Tables in Child Nutrition Programs states that schools can create "share tables", tables or stations where children may return whole food or beverage items they choose not to eat, if it is in compliance with local and state health and food safety codes. These food and beverage items are then available to other children who may want additional servings. Appendix G Oregon School Food Share Program Guide G-7 ------- to donate leftover packaged foods from their school meals, including milk, yogurt, string cheese, as well as whole, unpeeled and uneaten fruit. The school planned to collect, inspect and ensure proper sanitation for collected foods and redistribute items instead of throwing them away. The program aimed to reduce waste, teach Corbett students about the issues of wasted food and hunger, and save money. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the share tables were not fully implemented in 2020. However, when school is back in session, Seth plans to adapt the program to ensure safety while addressing food insecurity. What lessons has Corbett learned along the way? Set a baseline and track progress! Collecting data every step of the way will demonstrate the benefits of sustainability initiatives and identify programs that are right for the school. When Seth demonstrated the financial benefits of switching from single-use to durable dishware and silverware, it built trust and opened the door to implement additional sustainability initiatives. Additionally, the school used food waste audit results to understand which foods were most frequently leftover from school meals and devel- oped the share table program in response. Early staff buy-in and education are key. Be clear about the purpose and goals of the food program so that all staff understand the importance of their role. Demonstrate the benefits of the program to all staff and provide education throughout program development and implementation. Overcoming pre-existing ideas can be difficult. When the team discussed plate waste composting, school staff raised concerns about the additional work for staff, and the potential for pest issues. New ideas may not be accepted right away because of assumptions about potential challenges! Listen to staff to understand and address any concerns. Be flexible. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, plans for share tables, food donation, and other menu planning efforts were put on hold. The team is researching alter- natives and additional food safety measures to continue implementing sustainability efforts at the school. Additional Resources Learn more about Helping Hands Food Salvage Program. Acknowledgements Thank you to Sasha Swerdloff, Volunteer Sustainability Program Coordinator for the Corbett School District, for contributing to the development of the case study. OREGON GREEN SCHOOLS &EPA United States Environmental Protection Aaencv G-8 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix G ------- Oregon Green Schools ¦ Case Study Corvallis School District Pre-Ordering Lunch and Composting Source Reduction Feeding the Community Feed Animals Industrial Uses Compost Landfill Corvallis School District Fast Facts 13 schools and 6,400 students 8 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 3 high schools and online/ special education 25% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch 8 of 13 schools participate in meal ordering 9 of 13 schools compost food waste In the Corvallis School District, all 13 schools conduct some sort of food waste prevention effort. In Corvallis elementary schools, teachers record daily student hot lunch orders in a centralized Google spreadsheet that the district's nutrition services staff uses to plan and prepare meals. Across the district, middle and high school students participate in ongoing environmental education and in-school composting to increase awareness of environmental issues and reduce food waste. Pre-order lunch to reduce post-consumer waste! In 2005, the Corvallis School District switched to a centralized kitchen and implemented meal ordering for kindergarten through fifth grade students at eight elementary schools. This helped the nutritional services staff plan and prepare meals as efficiently as possible. Nutrition services staff provide parents and students with a monthly menu that lists daily lunch options. Students view visual cues and photographs of the menu to help select a meal. The visual prepares students to select foods they are more likely to eat, potentially reducing the amount of wasted food. Ingredients, allergens, and nutritional information for each meal is available online where parents and students can view the weekly menu. Teachers take their student's lunch order during attendance and enter lunch selections by 8:15 am each morning. The lunch order is tied to the student lunch ID and feeds directly into a spreadsheet accessible to the district's nutrition services staff. The daily count is used to prepare meals. In October 2019, Corvallis nutrition services recorded 1,180 pre-ordered lunches from all eight elementary schools. The pre-order data helps nutrition services staff adapt and adjust menus based on student feedback. When nutrition services notice that certain meals are not ordered, those meals are adjusted or removed from the menu. Nutrition managers can estimate the demand based on past data from the meal ordering system. Bailey Payne, Sustainability Specialist with Corvallis School District, aims for continuous improvement within the meal The second R: Re-use! Corvallis elementary school students receive their ordered meal on a reusable lunch tray! By switching from single-use to reusable lunch trays, Corvallis is reducing more than just food waste with each pre-ordered meal! Possible Allergens or Sensitivities Yes No 1. Contains Egg X 2. Contains Dairy X 3: Contains Nuts X 4. Contains Pork X 5. Contains Gluten X 6. Contains Soy X 7. Vegetarian X Figure 1: Corvallis School District provides visual cues for the meals offered at the school to assist students ordering meals (left) and offers food allergy and nutritional information for meals on the school district website (right). Images courtesy of the Corvallis School District Food and Nutrition Services. Appendix G Oregon School Food Share Program Guide G-9 ------- ordering program. He hopes to include additional nutritional information in the visual menu to educate students about the impor- tance of the food they eat. Bailey also aims to promote diversity and equity in the menu offerings by offering more culturally diverse meals. Composting: Practice makes perfect In addition to pursuing source reduction, the first step in the EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy, nine of 13 schools participate in food waste composting programs. Each program was started with help from groups like school Green Teams and parent volunteers. All three high schools coordinate directly with the waste hauler to set up a composting program and regular pickups. Bailey Payne has noticed one challenge common to all schools - contamination from home lunches which often includes foods in plastic bags and cling wrap. To combat contamination, the school district: Monitors the composting bins, led by school Green Teams. Provides signage on the composting bins to illustrate what is and is not compostable. Educates students about what materials go in which bin. For example, Bailey facilitates practice runs with the students and provides feedback in real time. Once students have practice and are in a routine, composting gets easier! Bailey hopes to continue to improve the program by tracking compost weight at each school on a daily or weekly basis to help schools identify the most common food items thrown away. Understanding the composition of wasted food will help schools find additional ways to adjust operations, such as changing purchasing practices, to reduce food waste. What lessons has Corvallis learned along the way? Planning pays. By regularly taking lunch orders, school cafeteria managers at each site can accurately estimate the amount of food needed using information from the previous time a meal was offered. Planning helps staff stay on top of what is going on in the cafeteria, which makes for a more efficient meal service operation. Pre-ordering meals helps nutrition staff make sure that they have enough food for students so that fewer prepared meals go to waste after meal service. Tailor food waste prevention efforts appropriately. Different food waste programs work better at different schools. Corvallis nutrition services adopted daily meal ordering for elementary school students. Middle and high schools do not participate in the program because students have more options to mix and match single serving meal components to meet USDA nutrition require- ments. It is important to be realistic about the conditions of each school before implementing a food waste reduc- tion initiative. Continuous education is needed for continuous growth. Respond and adapt waste reduction initiatives to ensure that questions are answered, and challenges are met head on. When Bailey noticed that items brought from home were contaminating the compost, he responded with additional signage on composting bins and improved monitoring of the bins during lunch. Additional Resources Learn more: Corvallis School District Sustainabilitv. Acknowledgements Thank you to Bailey Payne, Sustainability Specialist with the Corvallis School District, for contributing to the development of the case study. *>EPA OREGON GREEN United States SCHOOLS Environmental Protection Aaencv G-10 Oregon School Food Share Program Guide Appendix G ------- |