Can you say Schwarberfest? Phillies’ left fielder Kyle Schwarber is on the verge of season-long hitting performance never seen in MLB history just as the Phillies are in the hunt once again for the chance to play for the Commissioner’s Trophy in October (although the Atlanta Braves are favored to win). We love being the underdog. It’s a Philly Thing. It brings out the best in our teams and yes, our die-hard spirited fans, too! The NFL is already buzzing about the Eagles favored to be in the Super Bowl this season. Bring on the game day tailgate parties and beer…Philly’s on phire!
September is both Family Meals Month and Hunger Action Month, so there’s a lot to talk about. The family meal, as past generations knew it has all but disappeared. Even the famous Italian command attendance meal, Sunday Dinner, where immediate and extended family members gathered around the dinner table for hours has changed, and not for the better. A new initiative, aptly named #foodnotphones has decided to bring back family meals even if in a modified form. Their mission is “to pause from screens to inspire joy and community and remind us of all the power of human connection during mealtimes. Across all cultures, sharing food has always been a part of human experiences linking us all together.” It is a reminder to put down the phones during mealtimes and enjoy and reconnect with family, friends, and those around the table. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, “frequent phone use, especially during face-to-face interactions between parents and children, and between family and friends, increased distraction, reduced conversation quality, and lowered self-reported enjoyment of time spent together in-person.” Indeed. I miss those Sunday dinner marathons…
Sometimes from leftover lemons we make lemonade that turns out to be exactly what was needed at that moment. That’s what Even Ehlers did in 2018 while he was a sophomore at Drexel University studying entrepreneurship. He redeemed meal swipes he knew he wouldn’t use personally and drove around Philadelphia with his roommate giving away the meals. That was the beginning of Sharing Excess. The pandemic put Evan and his team into high gear when the shutdowns occurred, and the restaurants had food they would never use. In those first 48 hours, more than 10,000 pounds of food was rescued from 24 different restaurants in the city. It was enough to feed roughly 90 families of four for a week. They continued their efforts throughout the pandemic and found the food insecurity to be so grave that in 2020 alone, they rescued one million pounds of food that was then donated to those in need.
Fast forward to present day and 20 million meals later, where we find Evan, and his team quickly expanding to new cities and challenging the status quo of food rescue in America. From a momentary idea, Sharing Excess has found its niche in Philadelphia’s food rescue/sharing plan. Sharing Excess works with but is not a part of Feeding America. They distribute food to over 350 organizations in the area including Philabundance, Small Things and Caring for Friends.
I paid a visit to the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market (PWPM) a few weeks ago to see what Evan and his team are doing there. It was eye-opening. Sharing Excess has been at the PWPM for two years. Evan credits PWPM’s general manager Mark Smith with bringing them there. The program worked so well that Smith gave them a dedicated space inside that was previously used for storage. Now that space, under the watchful eye of distribution director Sarah DiPasquale and sourcing director Alex Havertine is responsible for rescuing over 12 million pounds of food for Philadelphia communities so far in 2023. Here is how it’s done. The produce companies in the PWPM bring their products to be sorted, packed and tracked. Every pallet is labeled, weighed, and gleaned by volunteers and part-timers. That information goes back to the vendors. Whatever is deemed not for human consumption is sent to animal feed processing plants, so there is ZERO waste. The gleaning operation has cut the waste bill at the PWPM by 50 percent. There are Pennsylvania state tax credits for all the vendors and there are Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) credits as well.
And here’s more good news from our friends at Sharing Excess…earlier this month they opened a rescue operation in conjunction with Katzman in New York City’s Hunts Point Market. Now you all can make a difference in the Big Apple!
There are so many ways to become a part of Sharing Excess: donate food or funds – reach out to Scott Smith at [email protected] and Sharing Excess will pick it up; volunteer at a pop-up stand or help sort produce – it’s all great for team building; start a student chapter on your campus, Evan and his roommate launched theirs with the co-op program at Drexel; or launch a Sharing Excess fundraiser, where every dollar donated rescues about 20 pounds of surplus food. There are so many ways to give back to the food insecure. We’re all in this together and if not us, who then?
Mural Arts Philadelphia, in partnership with Philabundance, dedicated and installed a new mural at Philabundance’s Hunger Relief Center on Packer Avenue and Galloway Street in South Philadelphia on September 6. This captivating and colorful mural, designed by renowned San Salvador born artist Calo Rosa, is bringing new life to South Philadelphia Food Center while celebrating the vital impact of Philabundance’s work in the community. The dedication featured guest speakers from Mural Arts, Philabundance, and the Philabundance board. The event also kicked off the nationally recognized Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month campaign, observed throughout September. Calo Rosa’s mural design, entitled More Than Food, is a vibrant homage to movement. Featuring food flowing through the Philabundance warehouses, volunteers actively engaged, and the journeys of the people served, the mural reflects the ceaseless dynamism of Philabundance. At its heart, the mural depicts the community coming together to savor a meal, encapsulating the unifying power of food. “I was lucky enough to grow up in a family full of art and good food,” Calo reflected fondly. “In this mural, I got the chance to honor my mom looking at the past as a part of history, and my son looking forward to the future. The fact that Philabundance helps create this love in homes and the joy of opening a box and creating something with love is what inspired this mural. We had a great team. I’m happy with the result, but so happy that people like it as well. It’s a celebration in honor of all the people who help Philabundance.”
Loree Jones Brown, CEO of Philabundance, said, “We are thrilled to dedicate this beautiful mural that represents the spirit of unity, compassion, and hope that defines our mission at Philabundance. This mural is both a work of art and a symbol of our commitment to fighting hunger and nourishing the communities we serve. We extend our deepest gratitude to the talented artist Calo Rosa, volunteers, and supporters whose contributions have made this mural possible. With every brushstroke, we are painting a brighter future, where no one goes to bed hungry. This mural stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and the belief that everyone deserves access to nutritious food. We hope it inspires others to join us in our mission to create hunger-free communities today while working to end hunger for good.”
In his remarks, John Hollway, chairman of the board, poignantly noted that “Philabundance is not only in the food and logistics business, but we are also in the dignity business, serving over 300 agencies in the Delaware Valley.”
Philabundance founder Pamela Rainey Lawler also found herself on the left part of the mural, signifying the beginning of Philabundance, distributing a box of donated food from the back of her Subaru to the food insecure as she did 39 years ago. During the ceremonies, the commission of a second mural was announced, this time at PCK on 10th and Dauphin Streets in North Philadelphia. Congratulations!
What are you or your company doing to help “beet hunger”? There are so many ways to help. Sharing Excess at https://www.sharingexcess.com/get-involved/partner, and Philabundance at https://www.philabundance.org/food-rescue/.
The new ShopRite of Drexeline Town Center celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 31. For photos from the pre-opening party, please go to page 18. The 72,000 square-foot ShopRite of Drexeline is operated by the Burns family, which has more than 40 years’ experience in the supermarket business in the Delaware Valley. The family’s newest ShopRite store serves as the anchor tenant of the Drexeline Town Center, replacing their former store that closed in late May to help fast-track the new store’s construction and the development of a brand-new ample parking lot. Compared to the previous location, the new ShopRite of Drexeline is a dream. It’s state-of-the-art, double the size with a wider variety and added conveniences for local residents to enjoy. Along with the complete redevelopment of the shopping center, the supermarket was designed to meet the highest industry standards.
Sprouts Farmer’s Market celebrated the opening of its 400th store (and the 23rd store opening for Sprouts this year) in Haddon Township, NJ on September 8. Each new store adheres to an innovative design concept, featuring a 23,000-square-foot footprint, and a bright and airy farmers market experience with an open layout, community feel, and produce at the heart of the market. Nick Konat, COO of Sprouts, said, “As we celebrate our 400th store milestone, we now set our sights on the promising path ahead, looking forward to continuing growth and positive impact in the communities we serve.” In addition, Sprouts will be giving back to the Haddon Township community through its support of the Food Bank of South Jersey. Kudos to the entire Sprouts team!
Celebrating birthdays this back-to-school month of September are: Anthony Gigliotti, Boyer’s Markets; Nick Sborlini and Anne Marie Mozzone, Acme Markets; Fran Dolan, Herr Foods; Tommy Kovacevich, TMK Produce; Lauren Eni Canseco, Dietz & Watson; Joe Gardyan, Utz Snacks; and Thom Nardi, Paradigm Partners. Buon compleanno a tutti!
L’shana Tovah – a sweet new year to our friends of the Jewish faith as they pray for a good year ahead for us all.
Quote of the month: “If we can conquer space, we can conquer childhood hunger.” Buzz Aldrin
Maria can be reached at [email protected] or 443.631.0172