Spotlight on The Farmlink Project
"Our Goal: To Put Ourselves Out Of Business."
MAY 1, 2023
No one should have to go to bed hungry while perfectly viable produce goes to waste. This produce shouldn’t have to be “rescued” from rotting in fields or being sent to the landfill, either; why were we ever letting this produce go to waste in the first place? These are systemic issues that our society needs to address.
In a perfect world, The Farmlink Project wouldn’t need to exist—systems would be in place to streamline the supply chain so that zero percent, rather than 30 to 40 percent, of food grown in the United States went to waste. For now, The Farmlink Project is acting as the “link” connecting the broken supply chains in the agricultural and food access industries.
When we learned of The Farmlink Project, we immediately saw a proactive group of students who have gone past identifying the problem; they are enacting a solution.
The Farmlink Project was founded by college friends Ben Collier and Aidan Reilly. When campuses closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19, many students found themselves back at home with the urge to help those struggling. Born in response to the pandemic, they now have plans to become a long-term and sustainable presence in the fight against food insecurity. Their organization has expanded nationally through the work of over 600 students from colleges and universities across the globe. These young changemakers are doing essential work to help end food waste, feed families, and curb greenhouse gas emissions by connecting farms with surplus to local food banks.
We are proud to make them our newest AWMH partner and recipient of the 2023 Month of Giving!
