Can I Offer You a Second Helping?
2004 Boaz Rauchwerger
Some people sit around and complain about society, while others do something. Some people sit around and hope for things to improve, while others offer hope by their actions.
In the United States, the richest country in the world, there are people who are homeless and there are people who go to bed hungry. So, as you may find yourself not worrying about food and shelter, you may ask, What can I do about that?On a recent speaking trip to Indianapolis, I saw what some imaginative people were doing to make a big difference in the lives of the disadvantaged.
Before I get to these incredible people, and their ingenious program, a few facts: 3.8 Million U.S. households experienced hunger during the year 2002. Americans throw out 27% of all food available in the United States, or 365 pounds per year for every man, woman and child.
Approximately 1.5 million pounds of food is wasted per day in the Indianapolis area alone. Some solutions are only obvious to those whose eyes and minds are wide open. A few open-minded people in Indianapolis took a look at a combination of community problems: hunger, unemployment and food waste. They put all the pieces together and cooked up a simple yet effective solution to address these issues.
They clearly defined these interconnected problems: hunger in the community existed because many adults lacked the job skills necessary to earn a decent wage. At the same time, they noticed that potential employers in the food service industry struggle to find adequately trained employees.
In addition, many restaurants in Indianapolis were dumping extra food each day because they did not have a safe outlet for that food. Yet another element in the equation was the local non-profits who spent valuable resources feeding people in need. Thus, in 1998, a recipe for success was created when Second Helpingscame into being. Begun in an old warehouse, in a rough part of town, this enterprise is now housed in a modern 22,500 sq. ft. facility not far from downtown Indianapolis .
I was so impressed by the operation, the people running it, and the many volunteers, that I wanted to share this story with you. I spoke in the meeting room of the facility. Gina Brooks, the Executive Director of Second Helpings, was part of the group for which I spoke. After my seminar, she hosted us to a great lunch and showed us around.
The mission statement of Second Helpings (web site: secondhelpings.org) is simple and powerful: Second Helpings, Inc., a food rescue, job training and hunger relief organization serving greater Indianapolis, safely utilizes rescued food to educate and train adults for positions in the culinary field and to distribute nutritious meals to shelters for the disadvantaged.Funded completely by donations and grants, Second Helpings picks up excess and perishable food from the food service industry throughout Indianapolis. This is food that would have otherwise gone to waste. Several Second Helpings trucks make the rounds each day to collect these foods.
A portion of the rescued food is used as a tool to train adults for a career in the food service industry. Second Helpings offers a free ten-week culinary job-training program taught by a full-time instructor and volunteer chefs from around the community. Upon graduation, students accept higher paying positions in the food service industry. The rest of the rescued food is turned into 2,000 meals a day, six days a week, that are delivered by Second Helpings to other social service agencies that serve disadvantaged and hungry men, women and children.
As Gina was taking our group around the building, and explaining the process, she stated that it takes many volunteers to pull it all together. In its six years of existence, Second Helpings has delivered over 1.2 million nutritious meals to its non-profit partners in the Indianapolis area.
I was amazed by what I saw and what I learned about Second Helpings on my visit that day in Indianapolis . It just goes to show what can happen when people care enough to do something for those who arent as well off and when they find ways to solve a number of problems. Maybe, by telling you about this creative program, I might have motivated you to do something similar in your community. Maybe, at the table of life, you might have just decided to take a second helping.
An Affirmation of Solutions
I think creatively and arrive at amazing solutions.
Article reproduced with permission from Boaz Rauchwerger. You may reprint any of these articles in any publication or Web site so long as you credit Boaz Rauchwerger as the author and include this Web site address, www.Boazpower.com.