FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 17, 2021
DSLBD, Agricity, and LEDC partner to enable more than 100 DC restaurants and food businesses to reduce waste, increase donations, and start composting.
(Washington, DC) – The DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (“DSLBD”) announced today the opening of its Food Waste Innovation Grant program (“FWIG”). DSLBD is working with Agricity LLC (”Agricity”), a local sustainability company and DC Certified Business Enterprise with deep experience designing and operating food recovery and organics recycling programs, and the Latino Economic Development Center (“LEDC”), a not-for-profit with deep roots in sustainable communities, to implement the FWIG program. The grant application portal opens today and will close on January 31, 2022, at 2 pm. Grant awards are expected no later than February 28, 2022.
“The Food Waste Innovation Grant is an opportunity for hundreds of DC restaurants and food businesses to change the way they think about waste. Tackling food waste will cut business costs and carbon at the same time,” explained DSLBD Director Kristi Whitfield. “Our agency is committed to leveraging resources to support the local business community as well as the District’s ambitious climate and Sustainable DC goals. The FWIG is a terrific example of bringing public, private, and not-for-profit resources to bear around common goals. We’re excited to get started.”
“All things being equal, people want to do the right thing,” said Jeremy Brosowsky, CEO of Agricity and the creator of Compost Cab, the company’s pioneering local composting service. “Our job is to make it as easy as possible for people to reduce food waste and take action on behalf of the climate and the community.” Methane related to food waste makes up 10% of all greenhouse gasses, and food waste makes up more than a third of the District’s waste stream. “DC’s food community is committed to a more sustainable future,” Brosowsky continued, “and we’re proud to be developing the models, programs, and infrastructure that supports that.” Agricity will provide FWIG grantees with waste assessment, food waste reduction, and composting services. In addition, the LEDC will help administer the grant.
“We take a community and economic development approach that we’ll bring to bear for a more sustainable city through this program,” said Marjorie Nemes-Galarza, interim executive director and CEO of the LEDC. “We’re looking forward to collaborating with the DSLBD and Agricity teams to make the FWIG program a success.”
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