Rock and Wrap It Up!: Helping Eco Hotels Feed the Hungry Across the USA

Every day, from border to border and from coast to coast, Americans throw away tons of food left over from restaurants, schools, meetings and events.  This perfectly good food – food that could help fill the stomachs of the millions of Americans who go hungry every day – ends up being tossed into landfills and incinerators instead.

It’s one of the most shameful, wasteful practices on the planet.  Not only do people go hungry, but food discarded in landfills and incinerators also hurts the environment.

That’s why we at EcoGreenHotel were thrilled to hear about a non-profit called Rock and Wrap it Up!, or RWU for short.  This incredible organization – administered by a dedicated skeleton staff and thousands of caring volunteers – helps alleviate hunger by arranging for leftover food to be delivered to food banks, soup kitchens, shelters and other agencies that serve people in need.

RWU began in the 1990’s, delivering food leftover from rock concerts to hunger-related charities (hence the “Rock” in the organization’s name.)  RWU has gradually expanded over the years and now collects and coordinates deliveries of food leftover from sporting events, school cafeterias, political rallies, and yes, even hotel meetings and conventions.

RWU has now expanded its efforts beyond food and is collecting and distributing unused paper products, toiletries and discarded hotel furnishings to organizations nationwide that assist people in need.  Properties that are already taking part are the Grand Hyatt New York, The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena, and the Sheraton Long Island, just to name a few. 

And EcoGreenHotel is partnering with RWU to help spread the word to all caring eco hotel staff.  If your green lodge would like to learn how to become part of the RWU network and donate leftover items to local charities, contact us at info@EcoGreenHotel.com and we’ll link you with a knowledgeable RWU staffer who will:

• Help you identify the agencies helping folks in need in your area

• Walk you step-by-step through the process of making your donations

• Explain how Federal Good Samaritan laws protect you and your property when you make donations

• Explain the marketing potential and tax write-offs associated with your donations

• Be there for you whenever you have questions

EcoGreenHotel is delighted to bring RWU’s message to the green hospitality masses.  Just think, if more eco hotels partnered RWU, there’d be less waste and less need in a noticeably cleaner America.   

Now that really rocks! 

To learn more about Rock and Wrap it Up!, visit www.rockandwrapitup.org.  

About EcoGreenHotel: EcoGreenHotel is a resource designed for green hospitality professionals to learn about the latest industry news, products and services. The company also conducts green audits of hotel buildings and operations and creates custom plans for properties to develop and implement environmental management systems.  Additionally, EcoGreenHotel hosts on-site workshops and staff training, and guides facilities through the LEED certification process.  To learn more about EcoGreenHotel, visit www.EcoGreenHotel.com.

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