WASHINGTON SCHOOL
FOOD SHARE
PROGRAM GUIDE
&% priit United States EPA 910-K-24
Environmental Protection
Mm Agency Anril:
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Acknowledgements
The following people and organizations made this resource possible:
• Dale Alekel, King County Green Schools
• Matthew Campbell, Hopelink
• Kathy Dumas, Bellevue School District
• Rina Fa'amoe-Cross, Seattle Public Schools
• Liz Fikejs, Seattle Public Utilities
• Food Bus
• Joe Graham, Washington State Department of Health
• Nayiri Haroutunian, Washington Green Schools
• Lynn Johnson, Bremerton School District
• Sabrina Jones, Solid Ground
• K-12 Food Rescue
• Nancy Larson, Bellevue School District
• Aaron Leavell, Bremerton School District
• Zelda Menard, Bellevue School District
• Puesta Del Sol Elementary School Green Team 2014/2015
• Lindsey Robinson, Hopelink
• Amythst Shipman, Food Lifeline
• EPA Region 10 Staff Theresa Blaine, Susan Conbere, Kristy Fry and Viccy Salazar
• EPA Region 10 Contract support Kathryn Pizzo, David Stitzhal and Tommy Jean Valmassy
• EPA Region 10 Interns Yvonne Chang, Alan Garvey, Paige Morris and Johanna Ventre
• Plus many others who provided input as part of the WA School Food Share Network
Disclaimer: The information contained in this Washington 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 initially written in 2017 and updated in 2023, post 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.
March 2024
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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 12
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 33
E. Provide Recognition 33
F. Review Data and Adjust the Program 34
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. Discussion Prompts for School Administrators, Staff, and Students Participating in the Food Share Program C-2
C3. Sample Memorandum of Understanding Between School/School District and Recipient Organization C-3
C4. Sample Food Donation and Share Table Policy C-5
C5. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to School Staff C-8
C6. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to Parents C-8
C7. Cafeteria Student and Staff Instructions C-9
C8. Kitchen Manager Checklist for Starting a Food Share and Donation Program C-9
C9. Checklist for Call with Donation Organization C-10
CIO. Cafeteria Posters and Signage C-11
~1. Example Share Table Tracking Sheet C-15
Washington School Food Share Program Guide i
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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. Fuel Up to Play 60 E-1
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 Study of School Food Share Programs in Washington Schools G-1
ii Washington School Food Share Program Guide
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List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
CACFP
Child and Adult Care Food Program
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
CNP
Child Nutrition Program
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
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
WSBE
Washington State Board of Education
WSDA
Washington State Department of Agriculture
WSDOE
Washington Department of Ecology
WSDOH
Washington State Department of Health
WWF
World Wildlife Fund
Washington School Food Share Program Guide iii
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iv Washington School Food Share Program Guide
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SECTION 1
How to Use
the Guiide
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1. HOW TO USE THE GUIDE
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
developed this guide in partnership with EarthGen. It
is aligned with EPA's Wasted Food Scale (Figure 1-1),
which prioritizes actions to prevent and divert wasted
food. The scale prioritizes actions that prevent and
divert wasted food from the disposal with tiers of the
scale highlighting different pathways for preventing or
managing wasted food, arranged in order from most
to least preferred. 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.
oEPA
Wasted Food Scale
How to reduce the environmental impacts of wasted food
Figure 1-1. The Wasted Food Scale 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 Washington families, free and reduced school
meals are an important source of food for students.
As Washington 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
Donate
Upcycle
0 AVOID
Send Down the Drain,
Landfill, or Incinerate
with or without energy recovery
Anaerobic Digestion
with disposal of cllgestate/btosollds
Apply to
2
Washington School Food Share Program Quid®
Section 1: Howto Use the Guide
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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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
3
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Additionally, food share programs reduce the amount
of food sent to the landfill where it decomposes and
releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Washing-
ton generates more than 1 million tons of food waste
annually. Approximately 35% of the total food waste
is edible food that goes into landfills.2 By redirecting
whole, edible food that would otherwise go to the
landfill, a school food share program reduces green-
house gas emissions and minimizes the environmental
impacts of food waste.
10% of Washingtonians
consistently struggle with
hunger.*
1 in 6 children in Washington
State live in households that
struggle to put food on the table.*
30 lbs. Average food waste
per school each day in Seattle
schools. **
*Northwest Harvest. Northwest Harvest: The Truth About
Hunger. 2023
**King County. Reducing Food Waste in Schools. April, 2019.
Figure 1-3. Food insecurity in Washington.
Who should use this guide?
Washington 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. Kev Resources to Support School Food
Waste Reduction
Appendix G. Case Studies of School Food Share
Programs in Schools
Using this guide can contribute to Washington's state-
wide food waste reduction goals in the Use Food Well
Washington Plan. While this guide's primary focus is
helping schools establish programs, sharing this infor-
mation with external community organizations can help
highlight options available and safety protocols.
-Washington Department of Ecology. (2022). Use Food Well Washington Plan. Available at
https://apps.ecoloqv.wa.qov/publications/documents/2107027.pdf
4
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Section 1: Howto Use the Guide
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SECTION 2
Start a Food Share
Program at Your
School
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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 support and help run
the food share program such as kitchen staff,
facilities and custodial staff, teachers, school
green team members, school nutrition staff,
school principal, 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.
~ Inform the health department that you are setting
up this program.
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.
~ Consider conducting another food waste audit to
measure changes in food waste.
~ Adapt as needed! It is important to adjust and
adapt during implementation.
~ Document your food share table roles and
process for use by future coordinators.
Donate Food.
~ Review USDA guidance on food donation and the
Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.
~ Contact potential recipients and discuss the food
available for donation.
~ Collect, weigh, label, and store food for donation.
~ Coordinate pickup or dropoff of food.
~ Consider establishing a school food pantry.
6
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School
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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 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
donated food distributing organizations such as food banks.
• For food donation, schools are protected from liability under the federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan
Food Donation Act and the Washington RCW 70A.205.040 Section 103.
See Appendix B for more information.
Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
7
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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, including kitchen staff, custodial staff, and the
school principal. 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.
Example discussion questions and prompts to help staff
engagement are available in Appendix C.
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 quidance about USDA reauirements. linked in Appendix 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School
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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 from school breakfast or lunch
(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 U.S. EPA and USDA have
created a step-by-step food waste audit guide for
schools, Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste
Audits, that includes planning and conducting the audit
and interpreting audit results. These steps are summa-
rized below. Links to other audit guides can be found in
Appendix D.
Figure 2-1. Preparing to conduct a food waste audit at
Decatur Elementary School in Seattle.
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.
• 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 on the previous page 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 encourage 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.
Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
9
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Checklist
Identify
Staff
Conduct
Audit
Identify
Funding
Measure
Success
Know the
Rules
Share
Donate
Identify audit sorting 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 import-
ant 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 and tongs for handling food.
0 Apron to protect clothes.
0 Food scraper or spatula for getting sauces out
of packages.
Figure 2-2. Food waste audit buckets set up to sort food
by category.
Figure 2-3. Loyal Heights Elementary sorted waste by
type of food during their food waste audit.
10
Washington School Food Share Program Quid®
Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School
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.... 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, in Appendix D.
subtract the weight of the
staff to set up the audit tables
After recording weights,
containers to calculate
and sorting bins.
empty containers into large
just the weight of the food
~ Set up containers to sort food by
trash can (preferably on
waste. Record weights on
type and make sure all containers
wheels).
your data form.
are labeled (e.g., fruit, vegeta-
~ Do not let containers holding
~ Dispose of all waste from
bles, white milk, chocolate milk).
liquids get too full—they are
the audit.
Five-gallon buckets work well to
heavy! Weigh them when
~ Clean up the audit area.
collect milk waste.
they are half full.
~ Thank students and staff!
~ Announce to all students that
~ Ask student volunteers
you are conducting a food waste
to interview a sample of
audit for school meals. Be sure to
students at random as they
specify if the audit is for school
throw away items from their
breakfast, school lunch, or both.
trays. Specific interview
~ Restrict student access to trash
instructions are in the work-
cans so they can only dispose
sheet in Appendix D.
of their waste at audit stations
~ Take photos both during
staffed by volunteers—this will
and after the audit! Photos
account for all waste.
are extremely useful for
~ Weigh an empty container and
documenting the process and
record its weight on the log
results.
sheet. Subtract this weight from
the total weight to calculate food
waste weight.
~ Bring student volunteers to the
stations before the meal starts
and familiarize them with their
roles as specified in the Guide to
Conductina Student Food Waste
Audits.
~ Prepare student volunteers on
how to answer questions about
the purpose of the audit.
Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
11
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Checklist
Identify
Staff
Conduct
Audit
Identify
Funding
Measure
Success
Know the
Rules
Share
Donate
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. The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) Food
Waste Warriors Program provides a national database
of food waste audit information. Schools can use the
database for real-time school audit data interpretation.
Consider conducting another food waste audit if you
choose to implement a share table or donate food to
measure how food waste changes with these activities.
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.
• Washington Department of Ecology Waste
Reduction and Recycling Education Grants. The
grants program helps recipients reduce waste,
build capacity for recycling education, 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
purchase equipment to serve healthier meals and
improve food safety.
• Earthgen. Earthgen provides guidance and support
to school district leaders across the state. Check with
Earthgen to learn what funding opportunities they
are tracking.
• Access Washington. Access Washington tracks
funding opportunities across the state.
• Washington Department of Agriculture - Food Resil-
iency Grants. The network provides organization for
food resiliency grant opportunities in Washington.
• The Nonprofit Association of Washington. Provides
information about grant opportunities in Washington^
• Greater Washington Community Foundation.
Provides information about grant opportunities in
Washington.
• Washington Grant Watch. A searchable database of
government and foundation grants.
• Fuel Up to Play 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.
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
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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.
• 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:
» 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. Your school could also consider
creating a separate tracking sheet where students
can indicate what they've picked up from the
Share Table to eat or drink.
» 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.
Step 1. Understand the legal framework
At the federal level, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan
Food Donation Act encourages donation of food and
grocery products to nonprofit organizations for distribu-
tion 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. The 2023
Food Donation Improvement Act amends and updates
the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act
by providing protections to donors who donate food
directly to individuals.
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) operators—the people
who oversee a school's meal program—should
discuss plans for a share table with their local
health department and state agency prior to
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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.
• Washington State has issued an official guidance
document on the donation of leftover consumable
school food. The current guidance mandates that
the receiving organization (i.e. food bank) requires
a variance to receive served food. Depending on the
local health department jurisdiction, one variance
might cover one site or all food bank sites receiving
food from a school. A small cost may be involved
in this variance (e.g., $250 per site) or the cost can
be waived entirely. The food bank or receiving food
distributor is responsible for acquiring this variance;
the variance request takes several weeks to be pro-
cessed and approved.
• For the most recent guidance, visit the Washington
State Department of Health Food Safety Program
website.
• 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?
Find food safety contact information for your local
health authority using the Washington State Depart-
ment of Health's Local Health Department Food Safety
Contacts. For more information about legal authority
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.
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• 7 CFR 226.20(1). Sanitation. These regulations
apply to the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Institutions and facilities must ensure that proper
sanitation and health standards 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. Sanita-
tion. These regulations pertain to the Summer Food
Service Program. 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 approval—and before
program operation begins—a 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. 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.
Schools should 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
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: In order for a reimbursable meal to qualify
the food or food components that are part of a
meal must be labeled, listed, or otherwise iden-
tified near or at the beginning of the serving line
and prior to the point of service. For ideas, see:
https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/
childnutrition/idreimbursablemeal-ideasandre-
sources.pdf
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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 or donated, but additional
should not be shared or
donation:
food safety actions may apply:
donated:
Internal School Donations
0 School food sharing tables
should be limited to unopened
school meal components (no
homemade foods) and whole
fruits in non-edible peels; limited
to service during the current
meal period; and offered from
a designated collection area
posted with safe operating
reminders and restrictions for
student sharing.
0 Time/temperature control for
safety foods, such as dairy
products, destined for internal
sharing from a school-spon-
sored sharing table must be
commercially packaged and is
only allowed with an approved
variance from the local health
department.
11 Home-prepared food
11 Any opened/resealed
containers
11 Commercially packaged
food items brought
from home
Outside Recovery Sites
0 Unopened, commercially
pre-packaged, non-potentially
hazardous food such as granola
bars, apple slices, crackers, and
raising with no fire, water, or
other signs of distress.
0 Whole produce with an intact,
non-edible rind or peel such as
oranges and bananas.
0 Foods past the original manu-
facturer's "Sell by" and "best if
used by" date are suitable for
donation.
0 Whole produce with an edible
peel such as apples, plums,
nectarines, and pears with
intact, undamaged skin that are
properly rinsed by kitchen staff
prior to donation unless the
local health agency provides a
variance for the donation sites
with produce washing capabili-
ties to rinse produce onsite.
0 Unopened dairy products
such as string cheese, milk,
and yogurt that are stored on
ice during the lunch service
and able to be refrigerated for
donation at 41°F or colder.
11 Foods past the original
manufacturer's "use by"
date
11 Home-prepared food
11 Any opened/resealed
containers
11 Commercially packaged
food items brought
from home
Source: School Food Donation Guidelines. Washington Department of Health.
https://doh.wa.aov/communitv-and-environment/food/food-worker-and-industrv/school-food-donations
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If your school is sharing items that require cooling, such
as milk, establish strict food safety guidelines to prevent
the risk of foodborne illness.
• 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 Make 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
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.
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• 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.
Measure Know the _ .
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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
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.
NO THANK VOU
WHOLE FRUIT AND
APPLESAUCE
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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
purpose—to 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.
• Involve students in developing and implementing
communication and education materials and activi-
ties, including writing and giving announcements or
making signs.
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.
• The information you collect about the share table
program should help support the metrics to measure
success. This information will help everyone consider
improvements to the share table program over time.
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.
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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.
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Figure 2-5. School food share in action. In this example, 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, 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).
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Toolkit Highlight:
Coordinating School Food Share with Public Health—
School Food Share Seattle and King County
School Food Share is a simple program that helps schools and food banks work together to collect
whole and packaged cafeteria leftovers, then use that food to:
• Feed their own students
• Donate to their local food bank to fight hunger in the community
• Help reduce food waste
Schools interested in participating in school food share activities should connect with their county health
departments to discuss requirements (see "Working with Your County Health Department" on page 32.)
Although every county health department will have a different process, it can be useful to understand the
details of how a particular county works with schools to ensure school food sharing activities safely feed other
students and community members while reducing food waste.
In Seattle and King County, a school with staff and students who want to start a school food share table needs
to coordinate with Public Health—Seattle & King County (PHSKC). As a first step, that school will need to
complete and submit King County Standard Form "Public Health—Seattle & King County Request for School
Food Sharing Table" (Appendix F). This request qualifies as the school's plan. The form asks for information
on the person in charge of the school food share table, which school meals will include food sharing, the types
of perishable and shelf-stable food and beverages allowed on the table; the process for keeping perishable
food and beverages cold; the process for washing fruit with edible skin before giving again; and the names of
organizations accepting food donations.
Each school location that wants to participate in school food sharing activities submits a separate one of
these forms to PHSKC for review. If there are questions or concerns, PHSKC staff will reach out to the school
food share point of contact for clarification to ensure the school is in compliance with the Washington Food
Code for donated food (WAC 246-215-09415 (3): 09415, "Food Sources—Donated Foods") and the county's
requirements.
Schools participating in school food sharing activities aren't the only ones with requirements to follow. PHSKC
also has requirements for any organizations that receive food donations from schools. These are referred to as
Donated Food Distributing Organizations or DFDOs. Each DFDO that receives food donations from a school
with an approved School Food Sharing Table form/plan needs to complete and submit an annual notification
form. When a school chooses to donate, it typically partners with a nearby food bank.
The Bellevue School District worked with PHSKC staff to complete the Request for School Food Sharing Table
form, securing permission to donate food to HopeLink Food Bank (see "School Case Study: Bellevue School
District" on page G-1).
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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
offers liability protection for organizations donating
food in good faith to a nonprofit organization.
• The 2023 Food Donation Improvement Act amends
and updates the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food
Donation Act by providing protections to donors who
donate food directly to individuals.
• Washington RCW 70A.205.040 Section 103, Good
Samaritan food donation act—Definitions—Collecting,
distributing, gleaning—Liability, 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.
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 Washington State Department
of Health ("DOH") Food Safety 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 Washington.
• Washington State Department of Agriculture -
Access Food. This organization provides a map
of local food banks by location. 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
23
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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 (pages 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.
24
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Section 2: Start a Food Share Program at Your School
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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).
~ 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.
Review Data and Adjust the Program
~ Determine how to collect and verify data.
~ Review data and discuss pilot program partici-
pants how to improve and expand the program.
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Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District
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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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
27
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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.
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Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District
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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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
29
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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 Washington State Department of Health 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District
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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.
Washinaton State Board of Education
Oversees Washington's education system, adopts rules and monitors
compliance, and monitors performance of Washington schools. The
Board can assist in making school food share program compliant
with Washington school system's regulations.
Washinaton State Department of Health
The Food Safety Program ensures food programs meet state reg-
ulations and provides resources to protect the health and safety of
those in food service settings. The department can also connect you
with your local health department.
Washinaton State Department of
Ecoloav
Ensures Washington state is meeting statewide food waste reduction
goals. Provides resources for food waste prevention, food rescue and
donation guidance, and food recovery options.
Local health iurisidictions and tribal
directories
Provide guidance related to food safety and handling, which will
support both food share tables and donation programs. Local health
jurisdictions are also responsible for issuing the Washington State
Food Worker Card.
Feedinq America
Provides a list of food banks in your area.
Washinaton State Department of
Aariculture - Access Food
Provides assistance finding hunger relief organizations in your area.
Those organizations could be potential partners for your school food
share program.
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 Washington School Food Share Program Guide 31
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Checklist Plan Pilot Schools Communicate Support Recognize
Working With Your County Health Department
When starting a school food share program, the Washington Department of Health (DoH) guidance states
that schools and program coordinators must consult with their local health department. Local health
departments oversee food safety and will likely have requirements and regulations for food share programs.
Consulting with your health department from the very beginning can ensure that your program is in compli-
ance.
1. Find your local health department contact. The Washington DoH has a list of contacts for each county in
the state: https://doh.wa.qov/communitv-and-environment/food/local-food-safetv-contacts.
2. Compile your food share information. Before meeting with your local health department, compile infor-
mation about your program, including the type of program (donations vs. share table), which foods you
would like to share or donate, how you intend to store donated food, and the names and contacts of the
individuals handling the food. The Washington DoH has a list of specific questions you can consider and
prepare answers to before consulting with your local health department.
3. Ask clarifying questions. Contact your local health department to ask about any county-specific require-
ments for implementing a food school share program. Health departments may have specific forms or
training that need to be completed before a school food share program can begin. Work with your health
department contact to make sure they have all the materials they need to approve your program and
ensure no steps in the process have been skipped.
4. Train food share program staff. Ask your health department contact who should participate in training
and obtain a food worker card. If someone other than full-time food handlers/kitchen staff will be over-
seeing the share program, they may need to receive training and receive a Washington State Food Worker
Card. Any regular volunteers should also complete training and receive a food worker card.
5. Check in with your local health department regularly. Some health departments require school food
share forms or applications to be re-submitted every year
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.
• The U.S. EPA and USDA have created a helpful
document called Guide to Conducting Student Food
Waste Audits. Links to 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.
32 Washington School Food Share Program Guide Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District
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Checklist Plan Pilot Schools Communicate Support Recognize
• 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 Washington, 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.
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 practices—source reduction, recycling,
anaerobic digestion, combustion, composting, and
landfilling.
Step 3. 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
Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District Washington School Food Share Program Guide 33
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Checklist Plan Pilot Schools Communicate Support Recognize
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.
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 collected—metrics that are
useful for school- and district-level program
reporting.
Step 2. Review data and discuss
program changes.
Engage pilot program participants in one or several
discussions to review the data collected through the
pilot program. Based on the data, as well as pilot
program participants' experience, identify the successes
and challenges of the pilot. Discuss what the data
reveal about the pilot program at different schools or at
different grade levels. Collaborate on what changes are
needed for the program to improve and expand over
time.
F. Review Data and Adjust the
Program
Step 1. 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.
34 Washington School Food Share Program Guide Section 3: Start a Food Share Pilot Program in Your School District
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SECTION 4
Appendices
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Washington School Food Share Program Guide
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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
Washington 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.
• 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
A-1
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• 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.
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Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix A
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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 Wash-
ington 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. Washington
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 encourages 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. The 2023 Food Donation
Improvement Act amends and updates the Bill
Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act by
providing protections to donors who donate food
directly to individuals.
• 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
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.
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
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.
Appendix B
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
B-1
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• 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,
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 Washington provides liability protection to
donors through Washington RCW 70A.205.040 Section
103, "Good Samaritan food donation act—Definitions-
Collecting, distributing, gleaning—Liability." "A person
or gleaner is not subject to civil or criminal 33 liability
arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of
apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery
product that the person or gleaner donates in good
faith to a nonprofit organization for ultimate distribution
to needy individuals, except that this subsection does
not apply to an injury to or death of an ultimate user
or recipient of the food or grocery product that results
from an act or omission of the donor constituting gross
negligence or intentional misconduct. Source:
https://lawfilesext.leq.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/
Bills/Session%20Laws/House/1799-S2.SL.pdf
The following school food donation guidelines have
been established by the Washington State Department
of Health. View the complete text on their website.
On November 18, 2011, the Consolidated and Further
Continuing Appropriations Act 2012 amended the
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act which
provided statutory authority for schools and other USDA
nutrition programs to have food recovery and donation
policies. The statute clarifies that any unconsumed food
may be donated to eligible local food banks or charita-
ble organizations. The 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.
Guidance. Individual school or district nutrition
programs planning to salvage food for donation must
consult with their local health department before begin-
ning a recovery program. The operating requirements
and expectations will vary depending on the foods
donated and the facilities available. At a minimum,
programs should consider and be prepared to explain
the following when pursuing food donation.
• Which donated food distributing organizations will
receive the donations? Written agreements outlining
delivery days, transportation plans, temperature
monitoring, source tracking, and other logistics infor-
mation help ensure wholesome food and traceable
delivery.
• Will potentially hazardous foods be donated?
Commercially-packaged, shelf-stable snack foods
do not need special approval for donation; however,
donation of potentially hazardous foods will require
restrictions or additional procedures such as
temperature monitoring to ensure the distributing
organization may accept the food.
• Will home-prepared food be donated? Only com-
mercially-packaged, shelf-stable products should be
accepted from the public for donation.
• Will previously-served foods be donated? Dis-
tributing organizations are not allowed to receive
previously served foods, even intact food items such
as whole fruits or packaged dairy products, without
additional safety precautions and written approval
from the health department.
• How will food planned for donation be collected and
identified? Food for donation may not be reintro-
duced to the food supply for the school. Participants
must have a plan for safe food separation, identifica-
tion, and storage.
• Will the school participate in an internal, organized
food sharing program for students such as Backpack
Brigade? Food safety standards such as temperature
requirements and safety of sources extend to meals
that go home with the students.
• Who will be responsible for coordinating the
donation program? Safe donation will require a
coordinated, planned effort. Ensure representatives
from the school and the distributing location work
together to provide safe recovery, transportation,
and service of the food.
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Appendix B
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Donation of School Meals to Outside Recovery Sites.
• Previously served food includes all food that has
been in the hands of a consumer such as food
selected by students from a salad bar or cafeteria
line. Previously served food for recovery and
donation should be limited to the following, unless
otherwise limited by the local health department:
• Unopened, commercially pre-packaged, non-po-
tentially hazardous food such as granola bars, apple
slices, crackers, and raisins with no fire, water, or
other signs of distress.
• Whole produce with an intact, non-edible rind or
peel such as oranges and bananas.
• Whole produce with an edible peel such as apples,
plums, nectarines, and pears with intact, undamaged
skin that are properly rinsed by kitchen staff prior to
donation unless the local health agency provides a
variance for the donation sites with produce washing
capabilities to rinse produce onsite.
• Unopened dairy products such as string cheese, milk,
and yogurt that are stored on ice during the lunch
service and able to be refrigerated for donation at
41°F or colder.
Considerations for Internal School Donations.
• Backpack Brigades and other food donations for
school children to take home should be limited to
school meal components or commercially-packaged
snack foods (no homemade foods). Backpack items
with potentially hazardous food ingredients must be
kept refrigerated.
• School sharing tables should be limited to unopened
school meal components (no homemade foods) and
whole fruits in non-edible peels; limited to service
during the current meal period; and offered from a
designated collection area posted with safe operat-
ing reminders and restrictions for student sharing.
• Potentially hazardous foods destined for internal
sharing from a school-sponsored sharing table must
be commercially-packaged and is only allowed with
an approved variance from the local health depart-
ment.
Additional Notes for Safe Food Donation.
• Food past the original manufacturer's "sell by" and
"best if used by" date are suitable for donation, but
not foods past a "use by" date.
• Dates on most foods, such as milk, yogurt, and
packaged non-potentially hazardous foods, are not
"use by" dates and are suitable for donation past the
marked date.
• Food establishments wanting to donate food
should ensure contamination-free procedures, strict
employee hygiene practices, and proper temperature
maintenance procedures are written and followed.
• It is recommended that an agreement be developed
between the participating organizations to indicate
selected foods for donation, contamination pre-
vention measures, temperature control methods,
transport and delivery procedures, and source
records.
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 Washington local food safety contact list to find
more information for your county.
Seattle King County Public Health utilizes a DFDO
Annual Notification Form, which encourages the redis-
tribution of food. Food distribution organizations must
notify the regulatory authority if receiving donations
from schools. Contact SKCPH for more information.
School districts. Each of Washington'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.
Appendix B
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
B-3
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The structure and function of school systems may vary
depending on the number of schools within the district.
In general, key stakeholders in a Washington 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.
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Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix B
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APPENDIX C. COMMUNICATION RESOURCES
This appendix includes the following resources:
CI. Draft Agenda for School Site Selection Call
C2. Example Discussion Prompts for School Administrators, Staff, and Students Participating in the Food Share
Program
C3. Sample Memorandum of Understanding Between School/School District and Recipient Organization
C4. Sample Food Donation and Share Table Policy
C5. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to School Staff
C6. Sample Email Text Communicating Food Share Program to Parents
C7. Cafeteria Student and Staff Instructions
C8. Kitchen Manager Checklist for Starting a Food Share and Donation Program
C9. Checklist for Call with Donation Organization
CIO. Cafeteria Posters and Signage
Cll. School Food Share Tracking Sheet
Appendix C
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
C-1
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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
C2. Discussion Prompts for School Administrators, Staff, and
Students Participating in the Food Share Program
Engaging and building trust with key school staff and volunteers early in the development of the food share program
is important. This establishes an open line of communication that will help to identify opportunities 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. One way to engage key school staff
and volunteers is through facilitated team discussions. This will help everyone understand the purpose and process of
the food share program and the importance of their role. These discussions will also help empower key school staff
and volunteers to answer questions that other staff, students, or community members may ask them during program
implementation.
Below are some possible discussion questions that key school staff and volunteers should address. The facilitator for
these discussions should have accurate answers ready to share or know who on the team can provide those answers.
These prompts will help to spark conversation and direct early engagement from everyone involved in the food share
program.
• What are the food safety and health guidelines that the food share program must adhere to?
• Who is responsible for overseeing the food share program?
• What are the key roles and responsibilities for staff and volunteers in making the food share program a success?
• What is the necessary training for staff and volunteers participating in the food share program? What types of
training materials and resources are available?
• What are the primary benefits of the food share program to the students, school district, and the community?
C-2
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix C
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C3. Sample 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.
• 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
C-3
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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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix C
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C4. Sample Food Donation and Share Table Policy
These samples were developed by Beaverton School District in the state of Oregon. The content has been streamlined
over time with input from stakeholders, staff, and volunteers. This content can be utilized as a template for Washing-
ton state schools.
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
expire—enter 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
C-5
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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 used—this 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix C
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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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
C-7
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C5. 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!
C6. 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix C
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C7. 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!
C8. 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
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C9. 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 Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix C
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CIO. 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
REDUCING
F##D
WASTE
WHAT SCHOOLS CAN DO TODAY
p
#. ~ * '
^4® *5?
i-
f?
<<&
CO
~
~
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, seive ready-to-eat fruit, and
invite school staff and teachers to eat meals
with students.
f
w
M.
F31
\m
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 farmers 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.aov/sites/default/files/documents/reducina-food-waste-infoaraphic.pdf
Appendix C
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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
Customize your own share table sign with these templates! Editable versions of these signs are available on [LINK
TBD] and allow you to customize your sign with foods actually served in your school.
C-12
Washington School Food Share Program Quid®
Appendix C
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EPA and Washington Green School Food Share Poster
* KIDS CARE
SCHOOL FOOD
SHARE
FEEDING PEOPLE. PROTECTING THE PLANET. SAVING HONEY.
WHAT CAN I DONATE?
• Un-opened Containers like Milk, Cheese, Yogurt
• Un-opened Bags like Apple Slices, Carrots
• Un-peeled Fruits like Oranges, Bananas
WHAT CANT I DONATE?
• Anything opened or with a bite out of it!
• HOT food or food that was heated
Customize your own share table poster with this template!
Appendix C
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
C-13
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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!
C-14 Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix C
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C11. 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
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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
A Guide to Conductinq
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 Conductinq
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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
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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
item—his 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: i didn't like it.
Interviewer: What about it didn't you like?
Student: It was kind of cold.
Write down "cold" for "chicken."
Interviewer: Why didn't you finish your carrots?
Student: I knew I 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
Washington School Food Share Program Quid®
Appendix D
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Student Interview Sheet
Lunch Period
Type of food
Reason for throwing it away
Appendix D
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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?
Is lunch offer versus serve?
How many breakfasts does your school serve per day?
Is breakfast offer versus serve?
Does your school offer snacks in the classroom?
How many signs on food waste and/or nutrition are hanging in the
cafeteria?
How much does your school currently pay for garbage service?
Sustainability checklist - Does your school:
Yes
NO
Use washable plates
Use washable trays
Use reusable 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
D-4 Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix D
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Serve salad in plastic, disposable clamshells
Serve fruit or other item in disposable plastic cups
Serve food items in paper boats
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
Inedible 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
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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. Fuel Up to Play 60
Organization: Partnership of the National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC)
Overview: Fuel Up to Plav 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 Plav 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.
E2. Waste Not Washington School Awards
Organization: State of Washington Department of Ecology
Overview: The Waste Not Washington Awards celebrate Washington schools for their environmental efforts and help
fund waste reduction projects.
How to Participate: Apply for one of three categories of award: Sustainable School Award, Seed Award, or Creative
Curriculum Award, on the program's website.
Recognition Opportunities: Awards are distributed annually and are up to $5,000 per award.
Learn more: Visit the Waste Not webpage for more information.
Appendix E
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Appendix E
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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
Public Health Seattle and
Kina Countv Reauest for
School Food Sharina Table
Public Health
Seattle & King
County
This two-page document is a tillable form that King
County/Seattle schools can utilize to sign up for a School
Food Share table.
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.
Sharina 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.
Appendix F
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
F-1
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Resource name
Organization
Brief Description
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.
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.
Oreaon School Food
Share Proaram Guide
U.S. EPA
U.S. EPA and a coalition of partner organizations in Oregon
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 implemen-
tation 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.
F-2
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix F
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Resource name
Organization
Brief Description
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.
F3. Food Waste Resources
Resource
name
Organization
Brief Description
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 Waste—Schools
• Selected New and Onaoina Food Loss and Waste Reduction Activities
Winninq 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
Appendix F
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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 Analysis of Food Waste Solutions
• Roadman to Reduce U.S. Food Waste
• Guidelines to Helo Food Service Businesses Include Food Waste Reduc-
tion in their COVID-19 Ooeratinq 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.
FA. Additional Resources
Resource name
Organization
Brief Description
Excess Food Oppor-
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 Regula-
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.
Develooina A+
Marketina 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
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
Appendix F
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APPENDIX G. CASE STUDY OF SCHOOL
FOOD SHARE PROGRAMS IN WASHINGTON
SCHOOLS
The Bellevue School District's School Food Share Story
School Food Share was created when a parent—
who also happened to work with EPA Region 10—
wanted to find a way to reduce food waste at the
elementary school her daughter attended, Puesta
del Sol. She coordinated with the school district and
other interested stakeholders; together, they found
that found that many schools were willing to collect
and store food after lunch period, and Hopelink
Food Bank was willing to complete and submit the
necessary forms to Public Health—Seattle & King
County (PHSKC). After communicating with the
food bank and the county health department, the
Bellevue School District determined the following
foods would be acceptable for donation as part of
the School Food Share program:
• Unopened, commercially pre-packaged, non-
pre-heated food, such as granola bars, apple Three days-worth of food from two Bellevue
slices, crackers, and raisins. schools.
School Food Share
Bellevue School District Fast Facts:
School Case Study:
Bellevue School District
Located in Bellevue, Washington.
18,409 students, 15 elementary schools, five
middle schools, and four high schools.
Strong district support for the School Food
Share program.
First school to participate: Puesta del Sol, a
Spanish-immersion elementary school.
12,099 pounds collected and distributed to Hopelink Food Bank in the 2017-18 school year.
23,632 pounds collected in the 2018-19 school year, when participating schools doubled.
As of spring 2023, the Bellevue School District has four schools with county-approved school food share
programs and two more schools completing the approval process.
Appendix G
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• Whole fruits and vegetables with intact, non-edible rinds or peels, such as oranges and bananas.
• Whole produce with edible peels, such as apples, plums, and pears with intact, undamaged skin.
• Unopened, pre-packaged dairy products such as string cheese, milk, and yogurt maintained and delivered
at 41°F or colder.
Transportation from the schools to the food bank
proved to be the biggest challenge for implementing
School Food Share. Finding regular, consistent
transportation for the food from each school to
the food bank was initially difficult. Though some
food banks can collect food from schools, Hopelink
Food Bank could only accept delivered items.
The Bellevue School District first tried to arrange
for volunteers to transport food through informal
arrangements. It then established a volunteer
coordinator position to ensure sufficient, consistent
transportation coverage to move available food
from school buildings to the Hopelink Food Bank.
Volunteers typically offer support one day per week
for an hour. The school district recruits volunteers
through a variety of outreach methods, including
the school principal's newsletter, the parent teacher
student association, parent newsletters, word of
mouth, the school's sustainability-focused club
called the Green Team, and the students themselves. The volunteer coordinator position is essential to ensure
efficiency, continuity, and communication within the program.
To hear news coverage on School Food Share, visit www.kuow.ora and search for "Bellevue School Donates."
Challenges, Solutions, and Lessons Learned
PHSKC requires each individual school building
interested in establishing a school food share
program within a school district to complete and
submit a copy of the "Request for School Food
Sharing Table" form. Completing these forms
took time for the Bellevue School District. District
administration required also clear documentation
from School Food Share administrators absolving
the district of any liability.
To comply with PHSKC school food share
regulations, the Bellevue School District had to
arrange for separate refrigerators to store donated
food. To purchase the refrigerators, the district used
its energy fund—money recouped from its buildings'
solar production—and its budget for energy savings
and sustainability. The district was also required (by PHSKC guidelines) to keep a temperature log for each
refrigerator unit.
The Bellevue School District's Food Bank
Partner: Hopelink
Hopelink Food Bank provides a network
of social services including housing,
transportation, family development,
financial assistance, employment programs,
adult education, financial literacy training,
and five food banks, helping more than
63,000 people per year.
Hopelink coordinates with PHSKC to
complete the required annual notification
form for Donated Food Distributing
Organizations, allowing it to receive school
food share donations from participating
schools in the Bellevue School District.
Milk cartons are kept refrigerated before transport.
School Food Share's volunteer coordinator
emphasizes that efforts like this take a
village, yet start with one person, one idea,
and a first step.
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Appendix G
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As well, PHSKC required the School Food Share volunteer coordinator to obtain a Washington State Food
Worker Card before training those handling the school food share table donations for Hopelink Food Bank.
Help from food service assistants or similar on-site lunchtime staff is vital for compliance with refrigeration
regulations and daily storage in a school food share-designated refrigerator. Voluntary help from school
building janitorial staff was most welcome but not required.
The biggest lesson learned from School Food Share is that a program of its kind rolls out most smoothly
with advance planning. For example, it's important to be ready to introduce and explain the program with
clear written and visual communications—memos, posters, signage, and guidelines. It is also crucial to plan
out the program's operations (for example, management of collection bins, share tables, and coolers for milk
transport) in advance."
FOODSHARE
Pledge-signing helps kids buy in
to the school food share program
and builds school culture.
Clear waste disposal station
setup is essential for efficient
flow and compliance.
Engaging, explicit signage also
plays an important role.
Appendix G
Washington School Food Share Program Guide
G-3
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Washington School Food Share Program Guide Appendix G
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