Can we save food? Yes we CAN!

Have you ever wondered what happens to canned food that is bashed up, dented or missing labels? If you think they are just thrown away because no one will buy them, think again! 

Food from the Heart is an organisation that collects unsold food from supermarkets, food suppliers, bakeries and hotels and donates them to the poor. So we can save the earth and provide food for the needy at the same time! My parents have been volunteering with Food from the Heart since it was set up so they always drag me along when I am free. And it's really fun to help out at their warehouse! 

This humongous space stores all the donated food and it's where volunteers can help to check, sort, and stack the food to make sure it goes to poor families and charitable organisations when they need it most! In fact, some companies donate more than food. They donate other essentials such as toiletries, but also other items like school bags, stationery, water bottles and even bicycles. 

When sorting out the canned food, you can see the cans are dented and are marked by the supermarket with an X. 

These cans come in old recycled boxes and are all jumbled all so the first thing to do is to empty out the boxes and place the items on the floor for sorting. Some boxes are packed full of canned food and even rice and flour so they are super heavy. OOOOOF! Good thing I have strong muscles! 

Next thing to do is to check their expiry dates. Food that is expired must be thrown away. 

Once the unexpired items are counted and sorted, they can be placed in blue baskets for stacking.

Food that is expiring within three months must be kept aside to be distributed sooner! 

All kinds of food is distributed from staples to junk food and special treats!

Once checked they are stacked neatly in the shelves so that they can be quickly packed into bags and boxes for the needy families and charitable homes. 

Through all these efforts, Food from the Heart has saved a staggering amount of food and helped a mind-boggling number of people so that they don't go hungry!!! I think that deserves 10 Poo-Poo Rockets, don't you think?