The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that one-fifth (20%) of America's food goes to waste each year. That is nearly 100 billion pounds of food! Annual food waste costs Americans close to 50 (fifty) billion dollars.

Hunger and malnutrition take a heavy toll on people, jeopardizing cognitive and physical development in children and putting people at increased risk for health related problems. More than 30 (thirty) million Americans live in households that suffer from hunger or food insecurity. If just a small percentage of potentially wasted food was recovered, millions of hungry Americans could be fed each day.

Food Circle is a local response to this concern.

Food Recovery and Food Circle

In 2008 Food Circle recovered 103,000 pounds of prepared food from Missoula area restaurants, caterers, grocery delis, and the University of Montana. This was enough food to provide 68,000 meals to people in need. Prepared food recovery continues to grow as a national movement, ensuring good food goes to the dinner table rather than the garbage.

Prepared food is accepted from commercial food establishments only. Using sanitized containers, excess prepared food is collected at donor establishments by a driver trained in safe food handling. Donated food is briefly stored in our walk-in cooler until it is repacked into single serving meals. Meals are labeled and dated and immediately frozen for distribution. Recipients of Food Circle include Missoula Food Bank clients and non-profit agencies that serve children, families, senior citizens as well as the homeless.

Food Circle is dedicated to:

• Safely recovering donated, prepared food that has not yet been served;
• Distributing recovered food to people at risk of hunger and malnutrition; and
• Educating the community about the impact of food recovery and the protection afforded donors under the Emerson Good Samariton Food Donation Act.

Food Circle provides:

• Free food pick-up;
• Containers needed for collecting food;
• Staff and volunteers trained in food safety;
• Opportunity for tax deduction; and
• Recognition of your efforts to combat hunger.

Let Missoula Food Bank make food recovery convenient, safe and rewarding for you.