Feeding Neighbors, Not Landfills: Volunteers Power Food Rescue Effort on the Twin Forks

The goal is to “fill plates, not landfills.”

That’s the mission of a network of volunteers tackling the dual challenges of food insecurity and environmental waste on the Twin Forks.

Food Rescue US, a national organization with a pair of local chapters on eastern Long Island, collects surplus food from farms and businesses to distribute to those in need.

“It just makes people feel good to do something for your neighbor,” said Stephanie McEvily, North Fork site co-director.

Each site boasts about 25 regular participants, which doubles during the summer peak season on the East End, to facilitate pickups and deliveries. Some volunteers “adopt” specific locations they are responsible for rescuing from. The few-hours-per-week effort focuses primarily on rescuing edible food — perhaps misshapen or close to its use-by date — from producers and businesses, rather than individual households.

“They drive their own car, use their own gasoline, use their own time, make their own phone calls,” McEvily added. “It’s pretty much a commitment.”

On the South Fork, this involves working with approximately 20 farms that donate fresh produce to local food pantries, houses of worship, senior centers, and after-school programs. Some South Fork farms even grow food specifically for these sites, reflecting a growing need in the community, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, said South Fork site director Radika Eccles. “This goes beyond just giving away the extras,” she said.

The North Fork site has a different focus, with nearly half of its annual rescues being baked goods, mostly bagels. Co-director Anne Howard said this became a key source for rescues during the winter months when farm production slows down, ensuring food is still available “even if it’s not the most nutritional.” Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital donates leftover prepared meals, sandwiches, salads, vegetables, and soups from its retail shop.

Eccles said the need for food assistance is significant, even in seemingly affluent areas. Food pantries in areas like Springs and Riverhead have observed long lines of cars and people waiting for food during all months of the year. The sites estimate that they help feed at least 350 families at these two locations per week.

“It’s not just seasonal workers who help in the affluent Hamptons,” Eccles said. “It’s a lot of people who are being pushed out of the Hamptons, like older people, teachers, and all different sorts of jobs that make the whole neighborhood work. And they’re struggling.”

During the pandemic, Eccles, who runs a small textiles business, was inspired by a newspaper article about Food Rescue US and reached out to the organization in 2020 looking to participate. Eventually, she organized to become the South Fork director in 2022. McEvily and Howard, both retired and having previously worked together on a capital campaign for Community Action Southold Town (CAST), teamed up to take over the North Fork site director role.

Beyond addressing food insecurity, a significant benefit is the environmental impact.

Food and other organic waste account for about 30 percent of New York’s waste stream. On Long Island, that trash is incinerated at waste-to-energy plants and the ashes are disposed of in landfills.

State officials have identified organic waste disposal as an “alarming problem,” especially with few food donation and composting sites on Long Island, as well as the impending closure of the Brookhaven Landfill in the next several years.

Three years ago, the Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling law began to require certain large generators of waste in New York, including grocery stores, colleges and some restaurants, to donate their excess food and recycle food scraps. More than 43 million pounds of food has been donated throughout the state since 2022. Smaller food scrap-to-compost drop-off sites have also opened in Riverhead and East Hampton in recent years. Diverting this food prevents it from decomposing in landfills and generating greenhouse gases.

“Composting is something all New Yorkers can do to support building sustainable communities and reduce the impacts of solid waste on landfills,” Amanda Lefton, acting commissioner of the State Department of Environmental Conservation, said in a statement. “From diverting food scraps for recycling and providing financial assistance to communities and organizations for composting programs, [New York] is committed to ongoing efforts to increase composting and prevent emissions that contribute to climate change.”

A challenge has been that these large businesses are only required to recycle food waste if they are within 25 miles of a state-recognized composting facility, food donation site or anaerobic digester — which breaks down organic waste to create biofuel. Long Island Cares in Hauppauge is the closest food donation site.

Food Rescue US puts food redistribution in community hands. The organization, through an app, allows volunteers and site directors to track the environmental savings of each rescue, including pounds of food saved, carbon dioxide avoided, and the offset amounts of water. Seeing the data is “really incredible for morale,” McEvily said.

Volunteers are motivated by the desire to give back to their community and the tangible difference they see, she added. They feel satisfaction knowing their efforts help neighbors who “could really use the food.” Eccles also acknowledged this work provides a sense of purpose, particularly when other federally funded programs in the community are expected to face cutbacks.

Challenges remain, notably the vast geography of Suffolk County, which makes it difficult to serve areas like Shelter Island or west of the Shinnecock Canal without extensive travel. Site directors say only a boost in donors, volunteers, and food pantries can help support their mission to protect their neighbors and the environment.

“We need to build visibility and awareness out in the community,” McEvily said.

Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to contact the groups at radika@foodrescue.us and northforkny@foodrescue.us.