`Binning' helps feed Valley's hungry

by Sandra Haros/KTAR (November 25th, 2009 @ 8:06am)

Food found inside an a trash bin that was reclaimed and used to feed the needy (Photo from SecretFreegan.com).

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A Valley teacher has taken the saying, "One man's trash is another's treasure" to a whole new level.

Ginger Freebird, aks the "Dumpster Diva," puts herself in places most people wouldn't dare in an effort to feed people in shelters and help stock Valley food banks.

In the past two years, the Dumpster Diva said she has salvaged more than 40,000 pounds of food from trash bins to help feed the hungry.

Grocery stores in Phoenix alone throw out more than $100 million worth of food each year, Freebird said.

"Probably $400,000 worth of food a day, in Phoenix, alone."

That's thousands of pounds of canned goods, packaged food, fruits, vegetables, granola bars, candy cakes, bread.

Freebird said it's still good food -- the fruits may be a little bruised, the veggies have been setting out a little while, cans are dented.

"I call it urban harvesting, I call it binning," she said of her practice of driving around checking out grocery store dumpsters. She hopes grocery stores eventually will start donating food straight to the needy instead of trashing it.

Retrieving the thrown-away food is "sneaky stuff," but "kind of fun," Freebird said.

"We make sure that none of the store employees are out to see us. We don't want to bother anybody. It is legal doing this. Everything in the bin is considered abandoned goods."

She added, "The only ones who are very concerned are the white shirts. You have to watch for the white shirts -- they're the managers, come out with a tie."

In one dumpster, she found cornbread stuffing mix, canned tomatoes, boxed gravy and cans of corns with slight dents; in another, breads, potatoes and flowers.

"It's kind of nice to know that you've just gotten about $200 worth of things and that they're going to be useful to somebody, feed somebody and brighten somebody's day," Freebird said.

Among those on the receiving end of Freebird's efforts is Rebecca, a single mom who is fighting lupus and has five mouths to feed.

"It's incredible, it's so amazing that she does this," said Rebecca. "It's so amazing and I'm blessed that I know her."

Rebecca said there have been times when there was nothing in her refrigerator, which make her more thankful for Freebird's work.

As for Freebird, she acknowledged that dumpster diving may not be for everyone, but encouraged everyone to "find a way to make a difference. Follow your heart."

Last 5 Comments

• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  Great Idea But...

  Steve S

  totally disgusting. People just need to donate. Instead of schools selling crap because they need money or the Boy Scouts planting trees, they should attempt to conduct local food drives two or three times a year!

  52636
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  Hungry?

  just the truth

  It's obvious many of you haven't been really hungry. You would not be so picky about possible problems. I've been there and you wouldn't think twice if you were really hungry. People survived thousands of years without the knowledge of these problems. Many times we give ourselves too much credit for being so wise.

  52633
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  And lastly -

  AZMomma

  I just tried to donate fresh, sealed nutritional supplements; 125 cans, 8 oz each. Cash value, approximately $$125.00. NO ONE would take them, including two local charities that are always appealing for cash donations. Finally the Manager of local Food Bank said they couldn't put them on their shelves, but he knew of a couple families who could use them. So, she dives into dumpster and hands out contaminated food. Sorry, but she needs some serious counseling on this issue.

  52625
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  Part 2 -

  AZMomma

  Her story shows a very altrusive woman, specially at this time of the year. People need to understand the HEALTH issues. I wonder if they would be as kindly if the recipients contracted a serious illness from her largesse. Food that has been in the dumpster is no longer sanitary and may contain dangerous pathogens that could make someone ill - or kill them. Try a bout of e. coli or an unknown bacteria in your blood for a real fun time in the hospital. We just had a 5 week bout and brush with death, and NOT from garbage can food.

  52624
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  Before you affix the halo - more questions

  AZMomma

  1) Does she hand the stuff over to the needy, disbursing it in person? 2) Does she bring it all to the Food Bank, handing it in as if she had actually purchased it herself? 3) How long has it been in the dumpster? 4)Have the cans been cleaned removing all vestiges of contaminants (slime, mold etc)? Before everyone canonize her, please use some common sense, unless you feel that the needy/homeless should just shut up and accept whatever anyone gives them.

  52623
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