A New York City teenager is battling food waste and hunger one drop-off at a time by starting a student-led club that delivers cafeteria leftovers directly to food pantries, particularly as neighborhoods struggle with mounting grocery bills.
Skai Nzeuton, 16, is a senior at Stuyvesant High School who launched the Food Security Club last year after seeing the impacts of the COVID pandemic mixed with inflation. Nzeuton noticed the number of meals left behind in the school cafeteria and felt compelled not to let these products get scrapped.
"I was seeing the same people on the train asking for food every day, and I felt really guilty not being able to help them, not having money because I am a student. At the same time, I was seeing a ton of food waste with perfectly good food being thrown away at school," Nzeuton told NBC New York during a group interview on the Upper East Side at NYCHA Holmes Towers.
This teen first got the idea to stock pantries from a history teacher who recommended working with community fridges, a public space that houses a variety of "take what you need" groceries, such as bread, produce and canned goods.
The club began its first donation on the Lower East Side at the Loisaida Community Fridge, and since then, has gained up to 50 student members traveling across the city handing out upwards of 3,000 pounds of rescued food from Stuyvesant High School.
"It's about delivering fresh produce because low-income families usually can't afford these necessities, so we're not only feeding the families but promoting a healthy life," said 18-year-old Stuyvesant senior Ben Pan.
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These Stuyvesant students wish to lead by example, inspiring other city peers to do the same with their school surplus.
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"We have over 1,700 public schools in New York City. If every single public school could have a club like this, we would be able to feel so many more people and then donate over a million pounds of food each year," noted Nzeuton.
Nzeuton and the team got in touch with Daniel Zauderer, a former South Bronx middle school teacher turned founder of the nonprofit Grassroots Grocery, which helps transport fresh food to over 30 distribution sites and six NYC-based community fridges.
Zauderer takes pride in the fact his organization is based on a "neighbors helping neighbors" approach when it comes to filling its fridges, not solely relying on government response or big business contributions.
Residents can simply take what they need and leave donations when feasible, no questions asked. Any donations are encouraged to be pre-packaged in a transparent container and properly labeled, including the date of preparation and potential allergens.
"We try as best as we can at Grassroots Grocery to eliminate this sort of hierarchy that exists in many food access solutions where it's people who have are giving to those who don't. We try to level the playing field where you can give back but, other days, you might have to take," Zauderer told News 4.
On top of the food sharing, visiting these community fridges provides a space for residents to connect on a personal level, an aspect that Sandra Pérez, president of the tenant association at NYCHA Holmes Towers, added is vital for her community.