Lunch Out of Landfills

04/21/2026

Lunch Out of Landfills Founder Joe Richardson and Past Rotary International President Barry Rassin present Interact students from Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy (PIAA) with a share table refrigerator.
PIAA, a K–12 charter school in Dallas, Texas, will use the refrigerator to launch its food recovery initiative—capturing and redistributing uneaten food to extend its impact rather than letting it go to waste.

03/06/2026

We are excited to share that our interview has officially aired. Below is the link to the segment that ran today, March 6, 2026, at 11:45 AM: (Recording attached as well). Huge thanks to NBC 4 Washington Brand Studio for having us!!

https://www.nbcwashington.com/video/community/in-the-community/maryland-program-teaches-students-to-cut-food-waste-in-schools/4071722/

Please take a few minutes to watch the interview and share it throughout your networks. Your continued support and advocacy help us expand awareness and advance our mission.

Use the QR code or link included for easy access to resources and tools such as:
Make an Impact (Donations), How it Works, Pledge, and Resources.

Link ->https://lunchoutoflandfills.org/help-lunch-out-of-landfills/

Please note: Donations can be made directly through the website using the “Make an Impact” link, though fees are associated with online giving. Donations can also be coordinated by emailing [email protected], and we can arrange donation by check.

Thank you all for being such an important part of this work.

Joe Richardson Sr. and Chris DePalma

01/31/2026

Food waste is one of the most solvable challenges we face and it’s a key part of Rotary’s 7th Area of Focus: protecting the environment.

Through Lunch Out of Landfills we’re helping schools recover perfectly good food using on-site recovery refrigerators. These refrigerators are the backbone of making food recovery scalable nationwide, but we can’t do it alone.

We’re asking Rotary International members and clubs across the country to help bring this solution to their local schools by supporting refrigerator placements and sharing this message.

These short videos are designed to spread awareness. If your club is already involved, I encourage you to reshare and help amplify the impact across your state.

YouTube link to our videos- www.youtube.com/

LOOL Website - https://lunchoutoflandfills.org

When we can demonstrate measurable results in individual schools and communities, it becomes far easier to scale this work statewide and across entire school systems.

This solution works. Now it’s time to take it everywhere. ♻️

01/07/2026

Doing a LOOL presentation to the Belle Clair Rotary club in Illinois with my friend Mark Schmitz today, will be part of a zoom meeting with the LA United School District and Liz Charleron from the Granada Hills Rotary club tomorrow, flying to Palo Alto to the Climate Solutions Summit on Saturday and next Tuesday presenting to the Steamboat Springs Rotary with Rotarians Karen Wray and Jennifer McNeil.

Working hard to make food rescue in cafeterias a nationwide movement. Rotary is very much the key

01/06/2026

Chris DePalma and I had the opportunity to be interviewed this morning by Molette Green on NBC Washington.

We discussed the work of Lunch Out of Landfills, its impact both locally and nationally, and how our programs are helping schools address food insecurity while significantly reducing food waste. The segment will air in the coming weeks, and we will be sure to give our followers a heads up once the air date is confirmed.

12/29/2025

Looking forward to presenting in Palo Alto. Hoping to get my friends in California to focus on food recovery in schools.

https://givebutter.com/FWJXcM

12/11/2025

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ciaraldoyle_zerowaste-activity-7401967268227629056-mCX4?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAChdwNUB9My-Osj4Q61LM_s5nvZmnD3G_To&utm_source=social_share_send&utm_campaign=facebook

12/07/2025

TAKE ACTION NOW! School cafeterias are a leading source of food waste. Let’s work together to keep your school’sLunch Out Of Landfills. https://lunchoutoflandfills.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/LoopFoodWaste.mp4 Our Mission in the World Lunch Out of Landfill’s mission is to enable students K-...

12/07/2025

11/18/2025

Many thanks to my fellow Rotarians Tom Tragesser, Mark Stanley, Jim Brock,Jennifer Loretta and Priscilla for allowing me to present to their Club in Palm Desert today.

California is leading the country in waste diversion and communities are responding positively I’m anxious to learn how successfully schools in the Cochella valley are diverting waste

The website has had a few delays but will be live before the week is over

11/17/2025

I promised the website would go live today looks like it will be pushed back to 11/18

11/17/2025

At the Rotary Environmental Youth Summit yesterday we taught about more sustainable tree planting practices and the problems with using tree tubes