What’s Really Going on in JFS’s Kitchen: Fighting Climate and Rising Prices
By JFS staff member
When looking at the USDA food price outlook, the current trend is an uncomfortable increase in recent years due to inflation, with products costing 27.09 percent more than in 2020. That’s why, according to Sarah Schneider Hong, Chief Program Officer at Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County (JFSWC), the need for public food pantries and meal services is of highest importance. Also critical is meeting these needs with climate-conscious practices. “JFS’s Nourish services help local community members access healthy, fresh food responsibly,” Hong said.
Ellen Abramson (right), with sister-in-law Jonna McCoon (center), and friend Susie Wilson volunteering at the JFS commercial kitchen.
JFS’s Shalom Kitchen– a commercial kitchen at JFS’s headquarters–emphasizes scratch-made meals from ingredients sourced locally. “We try to work with local purveyors so that the food we acquire is not travelling long distances unnecessarily to avoid extra (carbon) emissions. We engage local farms and support local agriculture.” Hong said. “We recycle heavily from boxes that were breaking down, and we purchase and prioritize recyclable packaging for all the meals we produce,” Hong said. “The meals that we produce are plant-forward—healthier for the environment and for meal recipients.”
When it comes to cooking for Meals on Wheels and Senior Cafes, Nourish Senior Manager of Culinary Services Nic Scheckel uses specific strategies to reduce food waste. “We order ingredients specifically based on the recipes we are producing, which greatly reduces excess product and unnecessary waste before food ever enters the kitchen. When surplus ingredients do occur, they are handled intentionally. Extra items are either frozen for later use or incorporated into other menu items whenever possible. I’ve also developed menus with overlapping, versatile ingredients, allowing the same components to be used across multiple recipes. This flexibility helps us efficiently utilize products while maintaining quality and consistency.”
JFS also partners with fellow Ann Arbor non-profit Food Gatherers, a local food bank, providing them 80% of the food they distribute. Notably, Food Gatherers prides itself on climate-friendly practices and food rescue operations. “Food is a great equalizer,” Hong said. “While we may all have our own preferences or medical and cultural needs for what we eat, we all need food to survive. It is a basic human need.” She adds that Nourish “provides reliability to vulnerable neighbors in need in an unreliable world.”
While Nourish strives for climate sustainability, financial sustainability is heavy on JFS’s mind. “We need reliable and local multi-year funding to ensure the pantry’s sustainability.”