Open AllClose All Environmental Impact
• Increased Methane Production: Once sent to a landfill, organic waste such as food scraps decompose to release methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas over 25x more potent at trapping heat in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Methane is an especially powerful contributor to climate change.
• Loss of Natural Resources: Overproduction of food, packaging, and disposable goods results in a loss of money and natural resources—especially the energy and water resources used to produce these products.
• Increased Pollution: Single-use plastic bags and food packaging often become litter in the City’s streets, causing nuisance and harming wildlife. Further, plastic pieces never break down and eventually end up in our water, our food, and in our bodies.
Equity Impact
• BIPOC Populations More Greatly Impacted: In the City of Milwaukee, food insecurity stood at 13% for the city as a whole in 2022, but roughly 1 in 4 Black (28%) and Hispanic (23%) residents experienced food insecurity while less than 1 in 4 White residents (7%) did. Further, 1 in 4, children in Milwaukee County experienced food insecurity in 2020.
• Food Insecurity Varies by Location: In 2022, 147,430 individuals in Milwaukee County were food insecure—15.4% of the population. Milwaukee County has the second highest rate of food insecurity in Wisconsin, just behind Menominee County at 17.2%. For reference, the state-wide rate is 10% and the national rate is 12.5%.
*Data from Feeding America.
Resources to Reduce Waste
Recycle food scraps that cannot be consumed with composting. Convert organic materials into a nutrient-rich soil ammendment through natural decomposition. Several companies provide subscription-based services.
Composting Resources
There are many organizations that provide groceries and meals to those in need. Whether you’re looking to donate food, offer support, volunteer, or gain access to available resources, these community locations can help.
Find Food & Resources
Plan meals ahead of time, use smart storage techniques, get creative with your leftovers, freeze or ferment your surplus, revive old produce, and understand date labels to reduce waste in the home.
Reduce Food Waste at Home
Those who donate or distribute donated food or grocery products are well-protected by laws designed to provide immunity from liability related to food donations.
Legal Considerations
When rescuing excess food for residents in need, be sure to follow the proper food safety standards so that the food is safe for consumption.
Food Safety Standards
In addition to organic food waste, reduce the amount of single-use plastics from takeout containers, which are hard to recycle and contribute to pollution and landfills.
Plastic-Free Resources
Learn More
Open AllClose All The Coalition's Creation
FEED MKE grew out of the 2019 City-County Task Force on Climate and Economic Equity appointed by the Milwaukee Common Council to address issues of climate change and racial equity. The Task Force and Work Groups convened regularly, engaged in research, and helped deliver recommendations for what was to become the Climate and Equity Plan in 2023. The 80+ volunteer contributors were a microcosm of Milwaukee-representing residents, community groups, academia, business leaders, faith-based institutions, and environmental justice advocates.
Volunteers were organized into specialized Work Groups and donated their time and talents in developing comprehensive strategies to address different components of the city-wide plan. One of the Work Groups that emerged with viable solutions was the Waste and Sustainable Consumption Work Group, which brainstormed strategies to help feed people in their communities and prevent food and other methane-causing waste from entering landfills. The Work Group played a prominent role in helping to create the Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan and the FEED MKE Coalition.
Supporting the Project
FEED MKE Coalition members will be welcome to work on projects, including the following:
• Signing up to share a Food Story on our Podcast in January 2025
• Launching the Mayor's Food Saver Challenge in April 2025
• Joining in preparations for the Wisconsin Food Tank Summit in Fall 2025
• Other rewarding and engaging activities!
CLOSED: Mini-Grants for Capacity-Building & Composting
The application for this opportunity closed on November 22. We solicited applications from the community in two categories:
- Food Recovery: Grants of $5,000-$30,000 for 4-8 organizations to support food recovery capacity-building through partnerships with local food-based businesses, food banks, and community-based organizations.
- Composting: Grants of $5,000-$20,000 for 3-5 organizations for on-site composting supplies or to institute subscription-based composting services at community locations.
We received 42 applications from a variety of community-based organizations and food-focused businesses.
The applications were blind-reviewed by a panel of food recovery and composting experts – including representatives from the Department of Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Public Works, the Environmental Collaboration Office, the Department of Public Health, and The Milwaukee Food Council.
Awards will be announced in January 2025.