KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� Aug. 10, 2023 鈥� Course applications are open for all Rhode Islanders for (FRRI), a community education program offered by the 溏心vlog免费B站 Cooperative Extension.
The six-week course, which opens its next session this September, highlights solutions to address food waste and food insecurity simultaneously. Open to all Rhode Islanders, Food Recovery for Rhode Island aims to change the way we shop for, store, prepare and compost food.
Participants will gain skills in canning, pickling, dehydrating, freezing, composting, food preparation and storage, community engagement and more. They鈥檒l then volunteer with organizations to make a difference on a community scale, such as Hope鈥檚 Harvest, Harvest Cycle Compost, Clean Ocean Access, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine and more!
鈥淭he program addresses all elements of the food system, from nutrition and what people can do at home to learning about the landfill and what nonprofits are doing to address these issues,鈥� adds Vanessa Venturini at 溏心vlog免费B站 Cooperative Extension.
One in three households in Rhode Island is food-insecure. Food waste at the state landfill makes up 35% of all Rhode Island waste. Reasons to tackle food waste and insecurity together can mean other additional benefits such as reducing water use and greenhouse gas emissions.
溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Food Recovery for Rhode Island program launched in 2021 as a partnership to reduce food waste and improve food access for state residents. Over 120 people completed the course thus far, volunteering over 1,000 hours to community-based food recovery efforts across Rhode Island. The program diverted 190,661 pounds of food from the landfill in its pilot year and saved 13.8 million gallons of water through residential composting.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e interested in food, gardening, community problem solving, and fun food facts, it鈥檚 a six-week life changing course,鈥� said a previous course participant. The course appeals to food system professionals looking for networking opportunities and others interested in learning and making a difference in their communities.
This year鈥檚 program takes place Sept. 13 through Oct. 26, as a hybrid online course with in-person field experiences.
Participants will gain:
鈥� Skills to make the most of their food (e.g. food preparation, storage, preservation, composting)
鈥� Spend time outdoors through field experiences at farms, community composting operations and kitchens
鈥� Get an opportunity to take action on community-based projects to combat climate change and feed people
鈥� Meet new people with similar interests to network.
Participants can immediately apply what they learn to their own lives and communities, says Amanda Missimer, the 溏心vlog免费B站 Cooperative Extension faculty member who developed the curriculum: 鈥淭he course is designed to teach and implement small, immediate personal changes and plan for larger, community based impacts.鈥�
鈥淲hat鈥檚 unique about our approach is that it supports community-driven change,鈥� says Venturini. 鈥淭he solutions come from within the communities themselves.鈥�
The course requires a commitment of 90 minutes of online learning and a 90-minute field experience each week.
Those interested in volunteering can and hear from participants in the program.
The deadline to apply for the September class is Aug. 27. Cost for the course and training materials is $250; financial awards are available through a simple process.
Apply or learn more at or contact Vanessa Venturini at vanessa@uri.edu with any questions. Follow @foodrecoveryforri.