Compliance with SB1383 – We help the food generators.

 What is SB 1383?  Also known as the Organics Recycling Law, was signed into law in 2016, SB 1383 aims to reduce organic waste sent to landfills by 75% by 2025 (compared to 2014 levels). It also requires California to recover 20% of edible food currently being thrown away and redirect it to feed people in need.

Why it matters:

• Organic waste in landfills produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.
• Recovering edible food helps address food insecurity while conserving resources.

 Who’s affected?

• Residents and businesses: Must separate organic waste like food scraps and yard waste for recycling.
• Food generators (e.g., grocery stores, restaurants): Must donate surplus edible food to food recovery organizations.
• Local governments: Must implement programs for organic waste recycling and edible food recovery.

 Impact:
This law represents a major step toward sustainability, benefiting the environment and communities by reducing waste and feeding those in need.

Organizations like Peninsula Food Runners are key to fulfilling SB 1383’s goals by rescuing and redistributing food to where it’s needed most!

#SB1383 #FoodRescue #Sustainability #ClimateAction

Growing up in Malaysia, I learned early on how deeply food is connected to survival and dignity. My mother, a government social worker, couldn’t afford a nanny for her eight children, so I often joined her as she visited families in crisis. Whether it was fires, floods, homelessness, or domestic struggles, food was always central to their challenges. The poor couldn’t afford it, the unhoused begged for it, and addiction often prioritized drugs over meals.

Years later, while attending Tante Marie’s Culinary School, I met Mary Risely, founder of the San Francisco Food Runners. Her dedication to fighting hunger inspired me to volunteer after graduating. Through SF Food Runners, I met people from all walks of life, each with a unique story. Those experiences reinforced my gratitude and deepened my commitment to ensuring everyone has access to food.

In 2013, I brought that mission to the Peninsula and South Bay Area, launching Peninsula Food Runners. This region posed unique challenges—its larger geography and scattered shelters made food distribution more complex. To tackle this, my husband, Tod, developed ChowMatch, custom software that streamlined food recovery and delivery.

Today, Peninsula Food Runners thrives thanks to the passion of volunteers and donors who believe in our mission: to deliver healthy, delicious food to those in need. Together, one meal at a time, we are making a difference.

Let there be food among us—and let it begin with me.