NMU student organization has an impact on homelessness

MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University is home to the first official U.P. chapter of the Food Recovery Network.

The nationwide student organization recovers perishable food items from NMU Dining Services and donates it to people in need.

They donate about 30 pounds of food a week to the Warming Center in downtown Marquette.

Last year, the organization rescued over a thousand pounds of food items on campus.

One of the organizations main focus, is highlight the underlining environmental and economic cost of producing food and helping students learn the value of donating.

“When food is lost, the resources that are included with the food are lost too. The valuable resources such as land, water, labor, energy and fossil fuels as well too. When food is thrown in the garbage, unfortunately all those resources go to waste as well,” said Joe Dodd, Food Recovery Network President.

Next week the Food Recovery Network will begin an awareness initiative to the water footprint of food in honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week.