Feeding Hope: Fighting Food Loss and Waste Together at Refettorio Harlem

New York - In the context of International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, FAO and UNEP - the lead organizations of the observance - decided to do something different this year. FAO, UNEP, UN colleagues, and delegates and advisors from several Permanent Missions to the UN - including Germany, Guatemala, Italy, and Switzerland - spent an evening volunteering at Refettorio Harlem, one of 13 such community hubs around the world started by renowned chef, SDG Advocate and UNEP Good Will Ambassador, Massimo Bottura. The Refettorios are central to Bottura's Food for Soul project, a social initiative he founded with his wife, Lara Gilmore, "to shine light on the invisible potential of people, places and food."

The evening began with a tour of the Emanuel Ame Church, the historic venue that houses Refettorio Harlem. Then, volunteers took part in a dinner service - throughout the week, the Refettorio team, in collaboration with local nonprofit operating partner, Free Food Harlem (as part of Unconditional Freedom), rescue surplus or imperfect foods that would otherwise be wasted and transform them into nutritious, 3-course meals served to food-insecure and socially isolated community members for free.

After an introduction from the Refettorio team, volunteers were briefed on the menu and the workflow of the evening. Newcomers and regular volunteers alike were assigned various roles, from meal-prepping and plating in the kitchen, to serving food, water and juice, and bussing tables. All were enthusiastic and focused on delivering a memorable dining experience for guests.

That Friday evening, the menu consisted of a Mushroom Quinoa Soup, followed by Baked Pollock served with jalapeño and roasted corn pico de gallo, accompanied by coleslaw, squash, and rice (with tofu substitute for vegan option), as well as Chocolate Cake for dessert.

Throughout the service, volunteers not only focused on their tasks but also engaged with the diners -many of whom are regulars-creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Several volunteers who had served at the Refettorio before (you can read about it here) were greeted like old friends by familiar faces from the community. The mutual appreciation was clear: the diners praised the food and the volunteers, while the volunteers found joy in the smiles and gratitude of the guests.

Jill Conklin, the Strategic Officer of Food for Soul was present and shared insights on the project's long-standing mission:

"The mission of Food for Soul is around preventing food waste and social isolation... At its heart, it's thinking about really the people that we're trying to nourish. And then how do you do that, at the same time, and raise awareness and take action on an issue that is continuing to become climate destructive, which is food loss and waste. Our mission has never changed from that early moment."

She also highlighted the importance of partnerships like this one, with FAO and UNEP, emphasizing that the diverse group of volunteers and collaborating organizations serve as a reminder that "we need all of us working together in order to create the change."

Delegates and advisors from several missions were among those participating in the service. Each shared words of praise and gratitude for the experience.

"It's a great opportunity to be in the community, to see what the people do here. Especially as a foreigner in the city, I wanted to participate in the local community that I live in."

"It's amazing. Everyone is so nice. It's a lot of fun. I really mean it - it's really an honor to be here. It's incredible opportunity to step out of your bubble and engage with the locals."

"They [Refettorio] not only focus on food security but also in social inclusion. It shifts the paradigm a lot on how the interaction is."

"It makes complete sense for me... I have been working on the Agenda 2030 around 6 years; I cover food security and nutrition, but now is the first time that I have the opportunity to do it on the ground."

"It's been a very nice experience to serve others."

"...There's food insecurity right here, right now. It's good to be here and to actually do something about it. Because what we talk about [at the UN] is always so vast... but being here, it's concrete. We're here on a Friday night, serving food."

Many participants expressed interest in returning as regular volunteers, underscoring the significance of this collaboration as well as the power of community-driven initiatives like Refettorio Harlem.

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