The Wake County school system plans to partner with Toward Zero Waste to redistribute unopened prepackaged food and some fruits that would otherwise be wasted at eight different elementary schools. The collected food will be given to families at the school and local food pantries. Toward Zero Waste is a Cary-based nonprofit group that aims to reduce unnecessary waste. The group plans to test the SHARE (Stop Hunger and Restore Earth) program, which other states have adopted, in eight schools and possibly expand it throughout the district. Toward Zero will provide schools with supplies including a refrigerator, rolling collection cart, and rolling pantry cart. Students would be able to donate or take recovered items from the collection cart. If they miss breakfast, feel hungry, or are at after-school activities, they can grab food from the fridge or pantry cart. The items that could be recovered include packaged snacks like graham crackers and cereal, fresh fruit with non-edible peels, and cold foods like cartons of fruit juice, sealed fruit cups, and bags of fresh fruits or vegetables. The schools would be responsible for finding employees and volunteers to perform the necessary tasks to carry out the program, such as supervising the collection cart and checking the items before storing them. A school employee must take on the role of program administrator at each school. School cafeteria staff will not be asked to do these tasks, but the schools must be careful not to overwork their teachers if they assign them these responsibilities in addition to their current duties. The school system does not have an exact start date for the program but hopes to start it this school year.

https://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/education/article300133609.html