Food Runners

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Pig Heaven


Thursday, March 28th
"Are the heads on?" asked Chef Danny Higginbotham of Walden House, excitement rising in his voice.  When the answer came back in the affirmative, Danny clapped his hands.  "Yes, we'll take 'em!" he exclaimed with a fist pump. "I'll make head cheese.  I  love head cheese.  I can teach some of the guys how to make it too.  It'll be a great learning experience and delicious too."

Chef Danny at work at Walden House
The day before....
"I work for Taylor Collaboration, a medical lab that tests and creates artificial joints," wavered the tentative voice on the Food Runners message line.  "My company will be receiving three whole pigs tomorrow.  We only need the legs.  I was wondering if Food Runners could use the rest.  It would be a crime to throw so much good food away when there are so many folks in need.  The pigs come to us already hung and butcher ready.   They just need a place to go where there's a professional cook who knows how to handle them."  Wow.  Whole pigs.  A Food Runners first.

The joint lab at Taylor Collaboration
The next day....
"Do you have any idea how big these things are?" Food Runners truck driver Dave pronounced into the phone when he first laid eyes on the pigs.  "They must weigh 150 pounds a piece!  Good thing I have Jim  today."  Dave was referring to volunteer assistant Jim who was helping out on the Food Runners truck that day to fulfill his Project 20 community service hours.  "What a great way to do my hours," Jim exclaimed.  "Food Runners is always such an adventure. You never know what you're going to get.   Picking up the pigs was awesome."

Three Little Pigs
A week later...
In an email from Chef Danny...  "Thanks for the pigs.  They went a long way and fed a lot of people.  All of our programs got some.  Walden House loves Food Runners."

A month later...
"Hi it's Peter from Taylor Collaboration again," came a familiar voice on the Food Runners message line.  "Remember me?  I'm the one who called a month ago with the whole pigs.  We're getting three more next Tuesday.  Can you do this again?" We can and we did.  Side of bacon anyone?

Nutritious food is still being thrown away every day in San Francisco.  Did you know that 1 in 4 San Franciscans don't have enough to eat on a daily basis?  Tell your friends and local food related businesses about Food Runners.  Helping to alleviate hunger and prevent waste is just a car ride away and a phone call away. 415-929-1866.