Assemblymember Maienschein and Feeding San Diego Announce $500,000 CalRecycle Grant Award

Assemblymember Brian Maienschein and CEO of Feeding San Diego, Vince Hall, announced the award of a $500,000 CalRecycle grant to Feeding San Diego. Maienschein’s bill, AB 1933, which passed in 2018, ensures money appropriated from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund can be used to administer grants to increase and strengthen the State’s organic and solid waste recycling infrastructure. Specifically, AB 1933 verifies that any additional funding appropriated by the legislature to improve waste diversion and recycling includes food rescue, waste prevention, and organic waste recycling.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the State Air Resources Board to reduce the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit to 1990 levels by the year 2020 and ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40 percent below the 1990 level by 2030.

“Reducing methane emissions by keeping edible food out of our landfills is an important step to help California combat climate change” said Assemblymember Maienschein. “In addition, Feeding San Diego will be able to divert and redistribute an additional 5 million pounds of food to vulnerable populations in San Diego.”

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) through California Climate Investments has awarded $11 million in grants to 36 local projects that prevent waste, reduce pollution, and combat climate change by getting good food to Californians who need it. “Edible food disposal is a humanitarian tragedy and a tremendous waste of California’s resources,” said CalRecycle Director Scott Smithline.

Feeding San Diego is on a mission to end hunger while reducing food waste.  Through CalRecycle’s $500,000 grant Feeding San Diego will be able to expand existing food rescue and redistribution programs and divert food from our local landfills through the purchase of four modified vans and additional onsite cold storage capacity for partner agencies.

“Every day San Diego throws away more than enough food to solve hunger” said Feeding San Diego CEO Vince Hall.  “This grant will play a significant role in helping Feeding San Diego capture more nutritious food before it goes to waste and get it to people in need.”

Funded by a grant from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) through California Climate Investments