The city council of Cathedral City has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with FIND Food Bank, committing to an annual allocation of $57,325 for three years. This agreement aims to ensure that the city and its food-generating businesses adhere to SB 1383 regulations. Over 30 establishments within the city are required to comply this year.
FIND Food Bank, as per its website, is a regional entity serving eastern Riverside County and southern San Bernardino County. It forms part of the 200-strong Feeding America network of food banks across the United States. Through 150 distribution sites such as FIND’s Community Mobile Markets and over 80 community partners, the food bank feeds approximately 150,000 people every month.
According to a news post on the City of Cathedral City’s website, SB 1383 mandates each jurisdiction in California to establish and monitor a comprehensive food recovery program. The law obliges certain food businesses to divert maximum amounts of edible food that would otherwise be discarded towards food recovery organizations. Additionally, it requires commercial edible food generators to enter into agreements with these organizations and services in order to optimize food recovery.
The same news post further explains that SB 1383 categorizes edible food generators into two tiers. Tier One includes supermarkets with revenues exceeding $2 million, grocery stores with facilities larger than 10,000 square feet, along with food service providers, distributors and wholesale vendors. These establishments were required to start donating surplus food from January 1st, 2022 onwards. In Cathedral City alone there are seven Tier One food generators.
The news post continues by detailing that Tier Two encompasses restaurants either larger than 5,000 square feet or seating more than 250 patrons; hotels with on-site dining facilities and at least 200 beds; health facilities with on-site dining facilities and at least 100 beds; large venues and events; specific state agency cafeterias; local education agencies; and non-local entities. Tier Two establishments were mandated to start donating surplus food from January 1st, 2024 onwards. Cathedral City is home to 32 such Tier Two food generators.
The partnership between the city and FIND Food Bank, as per the news post on the City of Cathedral City’s website, will facilitate compliance with SB 1383 in a more cost-effective manner. “There would be considerable expense and staffing needed if the City were to implement an effective program internally. To offset these expenses and requirements, a partnership with a food recovery organization like FIND Food Bank will enhance the success, reduce the costs, and ensure compliance by Cathedral City businesses,” said the post.
