By Marcus Woodruff
Northside News
As 2024 came to a close, Healthy Food For All (HFFA), a program of NPC dedicated to recovering food from local farms and businesses in order to put it on tables where it is most needed, experienced the sunsetting of a major grant.The grant had provided funding during and after the pandemic.
NPC Food Systems Director Chris Brockel, a long-time warrior against hunger, points out that the expired funding allowed HFFA to operate its core services, take on new initiatives, and greatly expand local food recovery efforts and they are seeking funds to maintain the expansion of those efforts. “Food pantries are continuing to see record numbers of visits every month and there is huge interest in keeping food, especially that which is edible, out of the Dane County landfill so when you put these two facts side-by-side it seems like the easiest form of help is to continue to build and support local food recovery efforts,” says Brockel.
“We have some funding going into 2025,” he said, “and we will shepherd it the best we can in maintaining the good work of HFFA. A lot of the food we recovered is highly perishable, and it is paramount that the chain of suppliers and volunteers remained unbroken.”
The program has been able to continue its high level of service to those who most need it, but as 2025 dawns, changes may be looming on the horizon. “That robust funding has run out,” said Chris. “We have some funds to keep the program operating for a few months, but the real problem isn’t now, it’s what’s coming in a few months.”
HFFA’s work begins in earnest with the onset of early spring. Farms start planting and harvesting, farmers’ markets that offer end of market food recovery will be finding their way outdoors, and the events that our city is well known for hosting begin to take over our weekends and have the potential of offering loads of uneaten edible food for redistribution. Logistics, volunteers, transportation and refrigerated storage must be planned and secured before the season begins.
“HFFA is not a complicated project,” said Chris. “We need staff, transportation, and a bit of knowledge on how to safely move food. Most of our product is perishable and needs to be distributed immediately which requires us to be quick on our feet. Without the current system in place, HFFA will not be able to help our community reach its food recovery/food waste diversion goals.”
Ever hopeful, Chris looks forward to the new year. “We’re seeking funding from a few sources,” he said, “and would happily welcome any help we can get. The alternative — nutritious, locally available food rotting in our landfills, and hungry families staring at empty plates — is not an option.”
