The UCOP Sustainability Employee Resource Group (SERG) has launched Share Your Pantry, a new Zoom-based program that helps UCOP staff easily share unneeded food with colleagues.

How to participate

Join the Zoom channel

• Log in to Zoom
• Go to #Channels on the sidebar
• Click the plus sign(+)
• Choose:Join channel
• In the search channels box, type Share Your Pantry
• ClickJoin

Post food to share

Navigate to the Message Share Your Pantry field and post the following info:

• A picture of the food item(s)
• Your Location (Oakland or Riverside)
• Product name
• Best by/use by/expiration date
• (Optional) a picture of the ingredient and/or nutrition lists
• Once the item is claimed, use the edit button to revise your post and note “CLAIMED” at the top

Claim food

• Under the photo of the item you’d like to claim, use the reply button to express your interest
• Coordinate with the person who posted the food to obtain it

What types of food are appropriate to share?

Please make sure that any items you share are not going bad or spoiled.

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Baked goods
• Canned foods
• Pasta, rice, cereals
• Snacks

Who can use Share Your Pantry?

Everyone! We encourage everyone to participate to help reduce food waste.

Why does food waste matter?

More than a third of the food produced in the U.S. is never eaten! When we throw away food, all the resources used in our consumer food supply chain — from agricultural land to water to pesticides and fertilizers to energy use — are wasted.  By sharing your pantry, you can help make sure that the food you won’t eat will go to good use.

Share Your Pantry program guidelines

Sharing details

• All food shares must be agreed upon by the provider sharing and the receiver before bringing the items to the office. The program does not allow items to be left in the office for others to take.
• No exchange of money or trading of goods/services is permitted. Sharing and receiving food from the same person can occur simultaneously, but each sharing action is independent.
• Both parties (the provider sharing and the receiver) have the right to decline or cancel the food share at any time.

Cold storage space limitations

• Due to limited refrigerator and freezer space, please limit the number of perishable items shared. Availability of cold storage is not guaranteed.

Sharing location

• Food transfers should ideally occur in communal spaces, such as breakrooms or patios, within the respective office building.

Share Your Pantry terms and conditions

• The Zoom channel serves as a space for employees to communicate who are interested in sharing or receiving food items.
• Liability for the sharing of food items is directly between the two participants involved (the employee sharing the food and the employee receiving it).
• Participants accept responsibility for the condition of food items when accepting or sharing opened, homemade or expired food items.

For questions, contact Erin Warnock-Smith.

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