Updates on my town's Food Rescue initiatives.... Some bad.... and some good.

Bad News is we are no longer working with Food Rescue US. To be very clear, they are a wonderful organization and if you have an opportunity to work with them, by all means do so!

My groups model and their model just don't really align is all. Long and short, they were wanting us to get more food rescue routes quicker than we were able to and when we really couldnt meet their metrics, we both agreed that we should go our separate ways.

Quick Lessons learned here:
- Their model works really well when you have a dedicated and paid staff. It wasn't working well for a community group comprised of volunteers working in their (often minimal) spare time.
- If you do have a dedicated or even paid group, they are AWESOME!!! Great staff. Loads of in house support. Great app.
- If you don't have a dedicated staff and are a smaller community group, it might not be the best fit.

Both parties knew this going into it and we had decided to give it a shot anyhow. It didn't work out. Alas.

Ok. So..... next part is the good news.

With that!!! We have now joined the Food Rescue Alliance (FRA)! They are a mutual-aid group of mutual-aid groups spearheaded by the Boulder (Colorado USA) Food Rescue group.

More info here: https://www.boulderfoodrescue.org/food-rescue-alliance/

They are much more aligned with how we work.

Now, instead of taking orders and meeting metrics from a non-profit corporate model, we operate independently and both rely on and contribute to the greater FRA group members.

This is awesome.

We have access to peer support, best practice information, troubleshooting and guidance, as well as their own food rescue app - Rootable.

Rootable is a Free and Open Source (FOSS) application.

Here is the app website: https://rootable.org

Here is the codebase: https://codeberg.org/rootable/

We're getting set up on it right now. We've been warmly welcomed and have already attended some meetings.

I think this will work out great.

#solarPunk
#foodRescue #foodRescueAlliance #rootableApp

@Shellofbiomatter @stabby_cicada - "I don't have enough belief in others to assume they are doing their part"

what do you mean assume? Wouldn't you know or not know? If you are in your community doing work you would know what others are doing and what others are not doing.

I just got out of a community meeting. Neighbor A and B continue to maintain the decentralized food distribution apparatus of free fridges. They reported that they have three more neighbors that have volunteered to take on cleaning shifts. Fridge B has an issue with one of the fridges tripping the circuit breaker and they're fixing it. Fridge A's community bulletin board is now accessible because they found the lost key for it.

Me and Neighbor C are working on the Food Rescue side as one input into our local food apparatus. We just brought in a new contributor. A gluten free bakery that will be feeding into Fridge B.

Spoke to a neighbor who just lost their job and needs food but has celiac. Pointed her towards fridge B and let her know the dropoff times of the GF Bakery. She is now utilizing the local communities food system and is further supported.

Next month I'm meeting with the greater town's Hunger Action Coalition and comparing notes and collaborating with them to fill in gaps. We also just got plugged into the Food Rescue Alliance which is national and connects our town to other towns for support and education.

I know exactly who is doing their part.

Because I'm doing my part.

If you get out and do something with others you won't have to assume one way or another. You won't have to believe (or not believe).

You'll know.

-----

(Note to others reading this: this is directed at someone who has claimed initiative failure via vibes without demonstrating any actual experience.

We do what part we can as and when we can. Interestingly, if you can't contribute - even receiving aid and support without currently putting back in helps the entire system of mutual aid. Drawing on the support of your neighbors is everything.)

#solarPunk

Oh shit! There's more!!!

Listen to "Nanny State Fiddler" - a bluegrass song about the dangers of sending unencrypted messages and warrantless wiretaps!

Cyberpunk / Cypherpunk / Solarpunk Bluegrass is now my favorite genre of music!

Justin Myles Holmes is great!!!!

#solarPunk #cyberPunk #bluegrass #folkMusic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3oSYNdJYR0