The City of Hayward’s Fight Against Food Waste

Food recovery organizations are making a difference in Hayward. These organizations collect edible food that would otherwise go to waste and distribute it to people in need.

When food and other organic materials go to the landfill, they release methane gas while decomposing. Senate Bill 1383 was passed in 2021 to curb this source of methane. One way it does this is by mandating that food service businesses such as restaurants, grocery stores, and cafeterias donate their excess edible food to food recovery organizations. Currently almost one in four Californians do not have enough to eat so this Bill will significantly aid in addressing food insecurity.

While developing the City of Hayward’s Food Action Plan, the City partnered with Chabot College and California State University East Bay to host 18 Food Action Plan college interns. These interns worked with partners to gather data about current existing food distribution sites throughout the City of Hayward and the surrounding areas. This data was compiled to create an interactive map of food distribution sites that can be filtered by day of the week and the types of services offered. The map also provides information about each organizations’ hours of operation and contact information.

This collaborative effort helps fill gaps in food distribution services, promotes sustainability, and ensures better access to nutritious food for the community.