Food Waste Prevention Week Events 2026

Nearly one third of all food is lost or wasted from farm to fork, costing an average family of four nearly $3,000 per year. Only 13% of donatable surplus food in the US is actually donated. At the same time, wasted food represents at least 6% of US greenhouse gas emissions.

Let’s raise awareness about how to prevent food waste! Join the conversation and learn about food waste at the below events throughout the Washington, DC and surrounding area:

For more information about these events, please contact Lorien MacAuley at lorien@mocofoodcouncil.org.

Community Food Rescue, a program of the Montgomery County Food Council, is the coordinated food recovery network of Montgomery County, Maryland. This program partners with businesses, individuals, and organizations to recover and redistribute perfectly good food to people experiencing hunger and is funded through the County’s Office of Food Systems Resilience.

The Montgomery County Food Council serves as the primary connection point for businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and residents around food system issues in our County. The Council brings together over 2,000 local and regional partners in community-wide education, advocacy, and capacity building initiatives in support of an equitable and resilient food system that is healthy for our community, economy, and environment.

The DC Food Recovery Working Group comprises a variety of partners from food banks, non-profits, and for-profits working on food recovery, DC government agencies, local environmental and sustainability organizations, and food recovery advocates. The Working Group promotes food recovery programs, organizations, and resources, and develops new food recovery partnerships, programs, and resources for greater DC.

Food Rescue US – DC is the local arm of Food Rescue US, a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing food waste and alleviating the burden of food insecurity. Operating across the District, northern Virginia, and nearby parts of Maryland, FRUS – DC rescues over 40,000 pounds of food every week by organizing volunteers on its proprietary app to deliver to local social service agencies.

Upcoming Events

Nov 9

November Food Security Community Call

The Food Council’s Food Security Calls are designed for learning, information-sharing and network building.

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Nov 19

Food Recovery Collaborative Meeting

This will be a chance to hear the results of the food council’s “deep dive” landscape assessment of the system of recovered food in Montgomery County, and recommendations for how to increase the volume of recovered food in the future.

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Dec 1

SNAP Work Group

The SNAP Work Group includes organizations that provide nutrition benefits enrollment assistance to residents, the Montgomery County Office of Eligibility and Support Services, and other groups that serve residents with low-income.

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Jan 11

January Food Security Community Call

The Food Council’s Food Security Calls are designed for learning, information-sharing and network building.

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Feb 8

February Food Security Community Call

The Food Council’s Food Security Calls are designed for learning, information-sharing and network building.

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Apr 12

April Food Security Community Call

The Food Council’s Food Security Calls are designed for learning, information-sharing and network building.

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May 10

May Food Security Community Call

The Food Council’s Food Security Calls are designed for learning, information-sharing and network building.

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Jul 12

July Food Security Community Call

The Food Council’s Food Security Calls are designed for learning, information-sharing and network building.

Learn more

Sep 13

September Food Security Community Call

The Food Council’s Food Security Calls are designed for learning, information-sharing and network building.

Learn more