Hellmann's and the Miami Heat Join 500+ Partners for Food Waste Prevention Week 2023

How a Florida School Teacher's Passion for Reducing Food Waste Sparked a Fast-growing National Movement

MIAMI, March 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cultural awareness of the problem of food waste is on the rise–thanks in part to Elaine Fiore, a schoolteacher from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida who has spearheaded the Food Waste Prevention Week national campaign. "I was teaching a sustainability class where we conducted a student food waste audit in the cafeteria," said Fiore. "We discovered that an average of 52,000 unopened and unpeeled food items were being thrown away in a single year. I started speaking at other schools and events around the state, and connecting with other people in public and private organizations who shared the same mission to reduce food waste. This group formed a team which held Florida Food Waste Prevention Week in 2021, and in 2022 we went national with the campaign. Our growth has been unbelievable." The number of Food Waste Prevention Week partners and sponsors has increased more than 342% since 2021.

More than 500 partners from around the United States are joining forces for Food Waste Prevention Week 2023, set for April 10-16. The week-long campaign educates the public about the actions the average person can take to reduce food waste at home, at work, and in the community.

This year's Food Waste Prevention Week sponsors include Hellmann's, Publix, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), the Arizona State University College of Global Futures, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the South Florida Hunger Coalition, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, the Healthy Living Coalition, and the Washington Department of Ecology.

"This year, we have nearly tripled our partner organizations, and that's exciting," said Fiore, who is also the founder of the Food Conservation Alliance. "Our sponsors and partners represent everyone from professional sports teams, nonprofits, and government agencies to individual households–and we have seen a  rise in our international partners as well. We're all coming together to educate people about food waste and inspire them to take action, and it's been amazing to be a part of something so clearly making the needle move."

Food Waste Prevention Week's seven-day event features a dynamic schedule of virtual and in-person educational events for a variety of audiences. Events include workshops, student art contests, food waste trivia and quizzes, upcycled food events, and a game show-themed social media campaign during the week of the event. Partner organizations have the opportunity to utilize a robust communications toolkit with digital advertising materials, event and messaging templates, and more. This year's partner resources also include many materials in Spanish.

"We're so pleased to support this important national event highlighting an issue of importance in the State of Oregon," said Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Senior Policy and Program Analyst, Elaine Blatt. "The resources available through Food Waste Prevention Week really help us augment our outreach efforts for food waste education." 

A significant part of Food Waste Prevention Week's offerings is a free webinar series hosted by a diverse group of expert stakeholders and industry players from across the food system, including state and local governments, schools, zero waste advocates, the hospitality industry, and others. To register for webinars, view a list of upcoming in-person events, download food waste education resources, or to register as a partner or sponsor, visit www.FoodWastePreventionWeek.com.

Food Waste Prevention Week is a seven-day online and in-person initiative designed to amplify public awareness of the problem of food waste and the work being done to address it, to bring food waste advocates together to share solutions, and to educate the public about what the average person can do to help. Since its beginnings in 2018, Food Waste Prevention Week has grown rapidly to include more than 500 partners in the United States and around the world. From government agencies to professional sports teams, grocery store chains to nonprofits, our diverse partners share a passion for food waste education. For more information about Food Waste Prevention Week and its many online and in-person events and resources, visit www.FoodWastePreventionWeek.com. 

SOURCE Food Waste Prevention Week