Tania Vallejo

Title: Development of a GIS Tool to Identify Food Rescue Opportunities in Washington State

Abstract:

A robust interconnection exists between wasted food and food insecurity. Over a million tonsof food waste are generated each year in Washington State, with approximately 390,000 tonsof edible food being disposed (Washington State Department of Ecology, 2022). Thesecontrasting issues are intricately linked, with the resolution of one concern holding thepotential to alleviate the other. Although every county in the United States faces foodinsecurity to this day (Feeding America, 2022), most of the residues produced in Washingtonare organic – including food waste (Washington State Department of Ecology, 2021). Thisprevalence presents a significant opportunity for the development of food rescue programsthat have the potential to address both issues simultaneously.This pilot mapping project directly supports the Washington Center for Sustainable FoodManagement by developing a statewide food rescue mapping tool. This pilot project mappedfood business locations in Thurston, Benton, and Franklin counties. These businesses areidentified as potential food donors to Hunger Relief Organizations (HROs), which arelocations that receive donations and support from private foundations, businesses,corporations, and individuals to provide food access to people who need it (Templeton ,Cohen, Conrad, & Hill, 2022). Over 2000 locations from food businesses and HROs weremapped in ArcGIS Pro, providing insights into the distribution of potential donors andreceivers that are or can be part of food rescue programs. Additionally, vulnerability layerswere included to understand regions that need priority in terms of food assistance. Likewise,distance buffer analyses were executed to determine the presence of potential food donorsconsidering different pickup ranges surrounding HROs. Model surveys for food businessesand HROs were created to complement the map. Once deployed, it is expected that surveyfindings can be integrated to populate and add more information to the map, enriching itwith valuable data for informed decision-making in the realm of food rescue initiatives.

Expanding the map statewide to include all counties in Washington State will allow decision-makers, such as staff at the Washington Center for Sustainable Food Management, to focus

their food rescue efforts on communities that have abundant potential food donors. This,especially within close proximity to existing HROs or communities that would most benefitfrom additional food resources. Next steps beyond integrating additional data are deployingthe developed surveys for food businesses and establishing connections and logistic detailsbetween donors and receivers.