Reducing Food Waste

Incorporating strategies that expand food collection systems to cycle edible food to those in need and inedible food back to the soil as a renewable energy source

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Waste Prevention

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Donate or Upcycle

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Feed People

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Feed Animals

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Compost

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Apply to Land

✳︎ Waste Prevention ✳︎ Donate or Upcycle ✳︎ Feed People ✳︎ Feed Animals ✳︎ Compost ✳︎ Apply to Land

Community Composting

The Community Compost program creates a neighborhood effort to reduce food waste and associated costs, support small farms with high-quality compost a, establish new routines of composting, and reimburse participants with a $20 gift certificate to spend at the JCFC Farm Stand for local food purchases.

  • A one-time $25 fee is collected when you sign up. This covers the cost of the food scrap collection bin and punch card that is provided for you.

    1. Bring your composting bin to empty at the JCFC Food Hub.

    2. Each time you empty a full bin, JCFC will punch the attached card.

    3. When your card is full, a $20 gift certificate is provided for you to spend at the JCFC farm stand or through our online marketplace.

    1. Reduce your food waste contribution to the landfill.

    2. Reduce your waste costs.

    3. Establish a new routine of composting.

    4. Improve your community’s soil health.

    5. Support small farmers with high quality compost.

    6. Help a local farmer by making high quality compost for them.

Grow & Give

The Grow and Give program helps feed our neighbors with a community-wide growing effort. JCFC will provide you with seed to grow food with the agreement that you donate 50% of your harvest with a local food bank, food pantry or neighbors in need.

  • There is NO cost to participate.

    1. Apply to Participate!

    2. Accept a donation of seed from JCFC that matches your growing space and skillset.

    3. Enjoy growing your own food.

    4. Donate at least 50% of what you grow to the Josephine County Food Bank or your local pantry

    5. Provide a measurement of your donation (lbs. and location of where you are located)

    1. Gain access to fresh produce in your own home.

    2. Enjoy the nutritional benefits of fresh produce.

    3. Share the abundance with others in need.

    4. Improve your personal and community health.

    5. Enjoy the MANY mental, emotional and physical benefits of home gardening.

Neighborhood Harvest

The Neighborhood Harvest program connects growers with pickers to share an abundance of locally grown food available for donation and emergency food assistance. If you grow and pick it, JCFC will distribute it to the Josephine County Food Bank, food pantries, other and directly to families in need.

  • There is NO cost to participate

    1. Set up an account with Share the Harvest listing yourself as a Grower or Picker.

    2. Offer your abundance or help picking during the season.

    3. Drop surplus at the JCFC Food Hub for emergency food assistance distribution.

  • Grower Benefits

    1. Share your surplus produce or flowers with others.

    2. Receive help harvesting your abundance.

    3. Make new friends.

    4. Reduce Food waste and associated costs

    5. Reduce pest and disease pressure by removing produce before rotting occurs.

    Picking Benefits

    1. Receive fresh produce to consume and/or preserve for your household.

    2. Receive fresh air, social interaction and physical exercise.

    3. Share what you can’t use with the JCFC Food Hub for processing and distribution to other families in need.

2025

New York

“Of all food waste generated

by Oregon households, 71%

could have been eaten”

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, "Oregon Wasted Food Study 2019"