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Authority staff join Del Norte emergency feeding task force to plug food rescue gaps in rural and tribal areas
Summary
Authority staff reported on attendance at a regional emergency feeding conference and plans to coordinate with Redwood Empire Food Bank, Salvation Army and existing local distribution networks to improve disaster feeding and food rescue.
Del Norte County Solid Waste Management Authority staff reported participating in a regional conference on emergency feeding and said they are working to connect that planning to local food rescue and distribution networks.
Why it matters: staff and the task force aim to create a liveable, adaptable plan that can be used in disaster response and daily food redistribution — with attention to rural and tribal communities that have limited access to fresh produce.
Kira, who attended the conference as a member of the county’s emergency feeding task force, described the meeting as a chance to build partnerships and said the group’s goal is “to come up with a plan that would function in our community and that we would be able to make a living document and that would be able to sort of get tied seamlessly to the office of emergency services.”
Kira said staff met representatives from the Redwood Empire Food Bank and that the food bank will participate in future local meetings to improve coordination. She said the conference highlighted that many large retailers route rescued food through regional hubs, and better communication could help keep more food in local distribution.
Board members and staff noted Del Norte already has established distribution hubs — senior centers, tribal organizations and other community partners — that can receive rescued food and distribute it locally. Staff emphasized the goal of augmenting, not duplicating, existing programs: “We don’t need more people doing the same work,” one staff speaker said, noting staff want to identify gaps and plug them.
The authority’s staff also reported that organizations such as Salvation Army and Red Cross can provide meal support during emergencies; Salvation Army can contract with local restaurants to produce meals when needed. Staff said targeted meetings on food rescue will be scheduled and that the authority’s community planning meeting on food rescue and organics management is rescheduled for June 17 at the Board of Supervisors chambers.
No formal action was taken; staff said they will continue to convene local partners and invite the Redwood Empire Food Bank to future meetings.
