[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE WORK OF THE WASTE NOT OC COALITION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J. LUIS CORREA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 12, 2017

  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the notable 
contributions and meaningful progress made by the Waste Not OC 
Coalition (WNOC) towards ending hunger in Orange County.
  Food insecurity is a serious public health issue. It is linked to 
malnutrition, obesity, and other negative health consequences. For 
children, inconsistent food access can adversely affect their mental 
and physical development. Unfortunately, more than 300,000 Orange 
County residents--including one in five children--experience food 
insecurity each month.
  A conversation between Orange County Public Health Officer Dr. Eric 
Handler and Orange County Food Bank Director Mark Lowry concerning the 
disconnect between the food insecurity of residents and the food waste 
of local restaurants led to the creation of WNOC.
  Established in November 2012, as a public-private partnership, WNOC 
offers a simple yet innovative model for food recovery. WNOC 
facilitates the donation of wholesome surplus food from local 
restaurants, groceries, and other food-producing establishments to 
local pantries while reducing the amount of food waste destined for 
area landfills.
  WNOC does more than just redistribute food; the organization uses 
county health inspectors to educate operators about food donation 
during routine inspections and uses food industry partners to safely 
and efficiently connect recoverable food sources with distribution 
agencies throughout the county. WNOC has facilitated a dual city-wide 
effort between Anaheim and Orange to identify food sources, partnered 
with community hospitals and clinics to implement a food insecurity 
screening tool, united with the Anaheim City School District to 
implement food recovery programs, and worked with local universities to 
establish campus pantries.
  WNOC partners are working with hundreds of Orange County facilities 
to address food insecurity. Through these collaborative efforts, the 
Coalition has successfully recovered over 3,700 tons of excess food 
this year alone, or the equivalent of more than 6 million meals, to 
provide much needed sustenance to numerous residents. WNOC performs a 
vital function within my district. In recognition of that significant 
work, the National Association of City and County Officials named WNOC 
as a Model Practices Program in 2016.
  Sometimes hunger feels like too big of an issue to tackle, but WNOC 
is proving there is meaningful work we can all participate in. The 
organization's work is remarkable not only for the strides they have 
made in Orange County, but also for the resources they provide for the 
greater community such as their willingness to work with any community 
interested in replicating the Waste Not OC Coalition Model for food 
recovery to end hunger and reduce food waste.
  In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my sincere appreciation 
to the Waste Not OC Coalition for the profound impact it has had in our 
community these past five years and I look forward to its future 
contributions to Orange County.

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