Community Compost Coalition
This project’s mission is to change how local food-scraps are perceived managed in Jackson County Oregon through an educational program and through a service of diverting the food scraps from landfills and water treatment facilities, where they generate green house gas emissions or water pollution, and instead delivering them to small – local farms, where they will be composted to restore soil health and support farm operations.
The working relationship with Rogue Produce / Community Compost started in 2022.
The Ashland Rotary Club used a community grant to sponsor free food scrap collection bins at the farmers market in 2022.
Southern Oregon Food Solutions volunteered to act as Bin Guardian and used the bin proximity to do tabling to raise awareness of SOFS and food waste issues.
SOFS helped coordinate the regular contributors to chip in to keep the service going during the winter.
In Rogue Valley, we are creating a food scrap solution together. By helping local farmers, we are increasing local resilience, building community, strengthening the local economy, restoring soil health and reducing ghg emissions.
Activities:
New model of service established – a neighborhood drop site
Fiscal Sponsor arrangement made with Rogue Valley Food Systems Network and MOU signed with Ashland Community Composting
Community grant awarded from Ashland Food Co-Op
Eleven presentations have been made. One neighborhood association, an HOA and three neighborhoods have started drop sites.
Going Forward – Update October 2024
Community Compost Coalition will have a presence at the Harvest Festival in Talent October 5th and also at the Salmon Festival in Ashland October 12.
Facebook page for Community Compost is: https://www.facebook.com/foodscrapstofarms/
You can help by clicking the donate link below or by volunteering, subscribing, or joining with neighbors to sign up for a neighborhood compost drop site. Join the party!
https://donorbox.org/community-compost-project-medford-growers-market-drop-site
