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Second Harvest Food Bank Launches Doorstep Donation Program in Three North Carolina Counties

Second Harvest Food Bank Launches Doorstep Donation Program in Three North Carolina Counties

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina has initiated a new neighborhood food drive program across Alamance, Forsyth, and Randolph counties. This initiative, in partnership with PORCH Communities, employs a recurring doorstep collection model. Under this system, residents are asked to leave bags of specific shelf-stable food items on their porches once a month. Volunteers then collect these donations and transport them to local food pantries that are participating in the program. The primary objective of this new model is to establish a consistent flow of donations that are specifically tailored to the actual needs of the local food organizations. This targeted approach aims to enhance the efficiency and relevance of food donations, ensuring that pantries receive items they genuinely require to support their communities. Community members interested in contributing to this program can find more information and details on how to get involved by visiting Second Harvest’s official website.

Montana Farmers Union and Partners Donate 35,000 Pounds of Pork to State Food Banks

Montana Farmers Union and Partners Donate 35,000 Pounds of Pork to State Food Banks

The Montana Farmers Union (MFU) and Farmers Union Enterprises (FUE) have partnered to donate approximately 35,000 pounds of pork to the Montana Food Bank Network. This significant contribution is expected to provide over 120,000 servings of protein to families, seniors, and children across Montana. The pork originates from Redwood Farms Meat Processors in Estherville, Iowa, a facility owned by Farmers Union Enterprises. This donation continues a food-security initiative that has seen multiple truckloads of pork delivered to Montana food banks since 2020. MFU President Walter Schweitzer highlighted the ongoing challenge food banks face in securing sufficient protein to meet demand, emphasizing the Farmers Union organizations' commitment to addressing this need. The donation arrives as households continue to grapple with elevated food and transportation costs, and food banks anticipate increased demand as the holiday season approaches.

Community Center Collaborates to Provide Nutritious Food Boxes to Older Adults in Auburn Hills

Community Center Collaborates to Provide Nutritious Food Boxes to Older Adults in Auburn Hills

The Auburn Hills Community Center, in collaboration with Planet Harvest, Eli Lilly, and Love Has No Limits, has distributed 134 nutritious food boxes to adults aged 50 and older. This initiative aims to address food access and promote healthy eating among the older adult population in the community. The food boxes contained a variety of fresh produce, including apples, cabbage, cucumbers, collard greens, lemons, oranges, and zucchini, along with two pouches of Chicken of the Sea salmon. Community Center employees and volunteers were responsible for picking up and distributing these boxes to residents, who reportedly responded very positively to the program. The effort extends beyond just providing food, focusing on supporting healthy choices and offering useful nutrition information.

Prudential Financial to Consolidate Newark Headquarters, Sell Two Office Buildings

Prudential Financial to Consolidate Newark Headquarters, Sell Two Office Buildings

Prudential Financial to Consolidate Newark Headquarters, Sell Two Office Buildings

Stockton University Interns Aid Wetlands Institute in Marsh-Nesting Shorebird Study

Stockton University Interns Aid Wetlands Institute in Marsh-Nesting Shorebird Study

Stockton University interns are collaborating with The Wetlands Institute on a pilot study to understand how American oystercatchers utilize saltmarsh habitats in New Jersey. This research is supported by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative. While beach-nesting oystercatchers have been studied extensively since 2003, climate change and coastal development are pushing these birds into saltmarsh areas. The interns, including junior Environmental Science major Alyssa Schlauberg, are involved in various tasks such as scouring public records for oystercatcher, whimbrel, and red knot sightings using eBird and Motus tower data. They also participate in boat surveys to locate oystercatchers in the marshes of Barnegat Bay and are processing data to map how these birds are adapting to changing habitats. Samantha Collins, a research scientist for The Wetlands Institute, noted that an estimated 75% of New Jersey's oystercatcher population might be nesting in ma...

Cultivate Hope Corner Store in Cedar Rapids Announces December 18 Closure

Cultivate Hope Corner Store in Cedar Rapids Announces December 18 Closure

The Cultivate Hope Corner Store, a local independent grocery store in northwest Cedar Rapids, has announced its closure on December 18. Operated by the nonprofit Matthew 25, the store has been deemed no longer financially sustainable, despite receiving strong community support. The store, which opened on Ellis Boulevard in April 2022, previously informed KCRG last summer that it was struggling to turn a profit due to a lack of foot traffic and an inability to compete with the pricing of larger grocery chains. The Cultivate Hope Corner Store offered free produce from the nearby Cultivate Hope Urban Farm and also ran Groundswell, a pay-it-forward cafe.

Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety Raises Concerns Over Lab-Grown Meat Safety and Public Acceptance

Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety Raises Concerns Over Lab-Grown Meat Safety and Public Acceptance

A recent review published in the Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (JCF) has highlighted significant food safety concerns regarding lab-grown meat. The review scrutinizes the growth conditions for cultured meat, specifically examining the nutrients required for its production and the potential for residues to remain in the final product. This comes as cultured meat is not yet authorized for human consumption in the European Union. Concurrently, a separate study within the same JCF issue, focusing on adults in Turkey, revealed considerable public reservations about lab-grown meat. These reservations stem from unfamiliarity with the production methods, doubts about product safety, and a lack of trust in the laboratories and companies involved in its development. Despite these concerns, a segment of respondents expressed interest, citing curiosity (29%), global food security (22%), and animal welfare (18%) as motivations for potential consumption.

Haddonfield School District Implements New K-5 Screen Time Guidance Prioritizing Handwriting and Physical Texts

Haddonfield School District Implements New K-5 Screen Time Guidance Prioritizing Handwriting and Physical Texts

The Haddonfield School District in New Jersey has introduced new K-5 educator guidance aimed at limiting screen time and re-emphasizing traditional learning methods. This guidance prioritizes handwriting and reading physical texts, with specific rules for different grade levels. For instance, kindergarten and first-grade students are not permitted to publish writing on devices, and while fourth and fifth graders can use digital tools for drafting, handwriting remains the expected mode for note-taking. Chromebooks are now kept in classrooms by default, rather than being sent home daily, and recess is designated as screen-free. The district spent nearly a year developing this guidance, incorporating research, staff experience, and parent feedback. This move aligns with a national trend among school districts to reduce screen time, a concern also highlighted by the U.S. Surgeon General's warning on the harms of screen use earlier this year.

AI Windfall Could Drive Plant-Based Food System Transformation to Address Climate and Animal Welfare Crises

AI Windfall Could Drive Plant-Based Food System Transformation to Address Climate and Animal Welfare Crises

A new initiative, the Beyond Cage-Free Open Letter, proposes that the 'AI Windfall' could be leveraged to transform the global food system towards plant-based alternatives. This shift is presented as a holistic approach to simultaneously address deepening animal and climate emergencies. The letter argues that current cage-free campaigns, while aiming for animal welfare improvements, often lead to increased environmental impacts, such as higher greenhouse gas emissions and land use, compared to fully caged systems. Instead, the focus should be on reducing the total number of farmed animals in the food system. The initiative highlights that plant-based food system change offers a win-win pathway to tackle animal exploitation, climate change, freshwater and land use, biodiversity loss, food security, and reduced pandemic risk. It cites a 2026 UK egg industry study which found that converting to organic free-range egg production would nearly double greenhouse gas emissions compared to caged systems.

Stockton Record

Where San Joaquin County families can get free groceries in October

Where San Joaquin County families can get free groceries in October

Twenty-three food distributions are scheduled throughout San Joaquin County this month. Here are the food distributions schedule for October.

Nor’easter Storm Weakens After Causing Flooding and Power Outages in the US

Nor’easter Storm Weakens After Causing Flooding and Power Outages in the US

A powerful Nor’easter storm has caused significant disruption across the Mid-Atlantic and New England states in the United States. Heavy rains, strong winds, and coastal flooding have been reported, with one confirmed fatality in Brooklyn, New York, due to a falling tree. The storm has led to widespread power outages, with approximately 14,000 customers in the Mid-Atlantic and 12,000 in New England still without electricity as of 8:00 am ET. Coastal communities, including Sea Bright and Atlantic City in New Jersey and Long Island, have experienced flooding and beach erosion. The storm is expected to weaken as it moves northeastward into the Gulf of Maine, with rain tapering off by late Tuesday morning.

Fairgrown Farm in Hopewell Township Receives Jersey Fresh Farm to School Farmer Recognition Award for Agricultural Education

Fairgrown Farm in Hopewell Township Receives Jersey Fresh Farm to School Farmer Recognition Award for Agricultural Education

Fairgrown Farm in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, owned by James Klett, has been honored with the Jersey Fresh Farm to School Farmer Recognition Award by New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn. The award acknowledges Fairgrown Farm's significant contributions to connecting local schools and students with agricultural education and locally grown food. This recognition was part of the 16th annual Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week and Ag Literacy Week, which included visits to schools and farms across Hunterdon, Cumberland, and Mercer counties. Klett emphasized the importance of children understanding where their food comes from, noting that hands-on experiences like picking a carrot from the ground can profoundly change their relationship with food. Fairgrown Farm engages with schools and offers opportunities for students, including those with special needs, to volunteer and work on the farm.