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By rdnewsNOW staff

diverting waste, reducing carbon footprint

Echo Lacombe launching Food Rescue pilot program

May 28, 2021 | 10:15 AM

The Echo Lacombe Association is preparing to run a Food Rescue pilot program in the city.

It’ll run out of the former Parkland Regional Library building at 5404 56 Ave. after receiving approval from city council. The pilot will run until November 30, 2021.

Food Rescues operate in several Alberta communities as a waste-diversion and carbon-footprint reducing food security initiative. Once started, Echo will divert food from local restaurants, grocery stores and producers which otherwise cannot be sold – but is still safe to consume.

“Food insecurity, food waste and hunger affect many people across the country,” Mayor Grant Creasey said. “I am pleased to see Echo Lacombe take on this initiative to ensure our community continues to provide unique quality of life opportunities to our citizens.”

Echo Lacombe will collect food items and redistribute them to the community through twice-weekly “Market Days,” which will start as curbside pick-up events until public health restrictions are lifted.

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The shipping/receiving area of the building will serve as the hub for collecting and sorting food, providing vehicle storage, offer curbside pick up, and eventually host the Market Days. Echo will cover the incremental cost increase for utilities at the location, and Lacombe Ford will provide a vehicle for the service.

“This food rescue will divert a large amount of edible food away from the landfill and into the hands of citizens who need it,” Echo President Jared Reich said. “We hope that through the pilot we can demonstrate the demand for the service as well as source a long-term sustainable home with an appropriate community partner.”

Echo Lacombe is hoping to work with local charitable organizations to provide tax receipts to businesses and producers supporting the rescue. They are also interested in attracting volunteers to help the program run as smoothly as possible.

For more information on Echo Lacombe and its various initiatives, visit www.echolacombe.ca.