Action Guide

Food Waste:

Refrigerators in Schools

Why: The problem/opportunity

Students are provided free lunches including milk at schools in America but many students choose not to eat them and they end up in the bin. At the same time other students are going hungry.

What: The Solutions

Install glass door fronted refrigerators so that students can put unwanted food inside and they can be accessed by those in need. Doors can have a sticker promoting Rotary / ESRAG (eg Proudly donated by Rotary Club of …)

Who: Beneficiaries + Stakeholders
  • Hungry students
  • School administrators
  • Sponsoring Rotary Club
How: Implementation Ideas
  • Identify local suppliers of glass door fronted fridges 
  • Pitch concept to a club and get in principle agreement to fund (set budget)
  • Pitch concept to schools 
  • Develop project proposal and implementation plan and timetable 
  • Sponsoring club project approval
  • Run project
  • Promote outcome (photos, story) and publish (ESRAG.org / Social Media / School newsletters)
Where:

Schools with lunch programs.

Costs/Budgets

Typically $300 per fridge

Local partnership with vendors can be arranged

Tips/Other ideas
N/A

Resources

Food Waste Task Force webpage 

Lunch Out Of Landfills webpage

Photos/Videos

Example of a fridge with a sticker showing Lunch Out Of Landfills and Rotary Logo.