Glendale proclaims April 7–13 Food Waste Prevention Week; college and city staff outline edible food recovery work
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Summary
Council proclaimed April 7–13 Food Waste Prevention Week; Glendale Community College and city staff described partnerships and diversion results, and staff said they will pursue school outreach and coordination with CalRecycle and franchise programs.
At its April 1 meeting the Glendale City Council proclaimed April 7–13, 2025, as Food Waste Prevention Week and heard reports from Glendale Community College and city staff on edible food recovery and organics diversion efforts.
Dr. Soler Okuyan, introduced as Dean of Student Affairs at Glendale Community College, accepted the proclamation on behalf of GCC and described the college's GCC CARES basic needs program. "We rescue and redistribute thousands of pounds of food each week, that would otherwise go to waste," Dr. Okuyan said, citing partnerships with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and private donors.
City staff described the city's edible food recovery program and its coordination with CalRecycle and franchise funding. Staff provided diversion figures for the city’s program: 163,000 (units not specified in staff's comments) diverted in 2023 and 452,000 in 2024. Staff told council these totals reflect food redirected through partnerships and the franchise-funded program and that the work is largely coordinated behind the scenes.
Councilmembers asked staff to expand outreach to local schools and to coordinate student visits to waste and recycling facilities; staff said they will connect public works with school principals and that Innovate Waste Management and city staff would assist with school coordination. Staff said a short video and a state-level recognition had highlighted Glendale’s edible food recovery work and that staff planned follow-up with CalRecycle.
The proclamation references the state's edible food recovery and organics recycling policy (recorded in the staff presentation as "Senate Bridal 13 83"). The council did not take additional regulatory action at the meeting but directed staff to pursue coordination with Glendale Unified School District and to provide a point of contact to connect schools with the city's programs.
Speakers included GCC staff, public works and waste program staff, and representatives from community and franchise partners who were present to accept the proclamation and discuss next steps.