Together, we can help our community while helping your business thrive. Food donation is encouraged by the National Restaurant Association and governments at all levels because of the following benefits to food service businesses like you:
1) You get to support your local community by giving back in a meaningful way to those who need it most: the one in seven Americans who are food insecure. Your customers in turn see that you are doing the right thing.
2) You can write off your food donations. In fact, there is an enhanced tax deduction for any business entity donating food, so you not only get to write off the cost of the items donated, but are eligible for tax deductions of approximately one and a half times the cost of the food.
3) Worried about liability? All businesses donating leftover food in good faith to those in need are granted immunity from all civil and criminal liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. Although many people in the food service industry fear they would be held liable if something went wrong, this is a huge misconception. Indeed, many other restaurants in Maryland donate their food every night with no issue, and the National Restaurant Association encourages it.
The Food Recovery Network is community-driven, professional and most of all flexible. We want to work with you whether you typically have one item to donate or hundreds! We send trained volunteers to come by and pick up your surplus food for donation at the dates and times that work best for you. If our volunteers come and there is no food one night, no problem.
If you have any questions, would like more information about the food donation laws referenced, or are ready to sign up to schedule a trial run, please contact FRN at UMD@foodrecoverynetwork.org.
