NEW YORK – The Specialty Food Association has been awarded a Power of A Gold Award from the American Society of Association Executives for its work to help reduce hunger and increase food recovery via the grant making, education and industry events of its Specialty Food Foundation.
The Foundation, established in 2014, in its first year gave $250,000 in grants to support 14 innovative organizations in ten states that are working to address hunger and improve food recovery. They include Portland Fruit Tree Project in Portland, Ore., which harvests and distributes fruit from urban fruit trees that would otherwise go to waste and Move for Hunger, Neptune, N.J., which mobilizes the relocation industry to reduce food waste by picking up unwanted food during the moving process to deliver to food banks.
The Foundation has also created "Embrace Hunger Relief Week," a program that links specialty food professionals to anti-hunger organizations with volunteer events that include re-packs of bulk produce donations and assembling grocery boxes to deploy to a network of local food pantries and high-need schools.
"The Foundation grew out of the Specialty Food Association's efforts to make a difference amid continuing hunger and food waste in the U.S.," says Ron Tanner, vice president of philanthropy, government and industry relations for the Association. "We strive to help raise awareness among our members, industry partners and in the communities where our members do business."
ASAE's Power of A (association) Awards, the industry's highest honor, recognize the valuable contributions of the association community on the local, national and global level. The Power of A Awards reward outstanding accomplishments of associations and industry professionals for their efforts to enrich lives, create a competitive workforce, prepare society for the future, drive innovation and make a better world.
"Congratulations to the Specialty Food Association for helping make the world a better place," said Hugh "Mac" Cannon, chair of the Power of A Awards Judging Committee. "Their program exemplifies how associations make a difference every day – not just to the industry or profession they represent, but to society at large."
In addition to its foundation, the Specialty Food Association supports its long-established Fancy Food Show exhibitor donation program where exhibitors can opt to donate food at the end of the trade show to a partner charity. At the 2015 Summer Fancy Food Show, exhibitors donated 96,000 pounds of food. The association donates as well and has an internal team to organize employee volunteering and charity drives.
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About the Specialty Food Foundation
The Specialty Food Foundation works to reduce hunger and increase food recovery efforts through grant making, education and industry events. The Foundation is an outgrowth of the social entrepreneurship and extensive efforts in the areas of anti-hunger put forth by many members of the Specialty Food Association. Learn more at specialtyfoodfoundation.org.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association is a thriving community of food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs who bring craft, care and joy to the distinctive foods they produce. Established in 1952 in New York, the not-for-profit trade association provides its 3,000 members in the U.S. and abroad the tools, knowledge and connections to champion and nurture their companies in an always-evolving marketplace.
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Source: Specialty Food Foundation