Planet Home Lending, a national mortgage lender and servicer is teaming up with The Farmlink Project to help put produce on the shelves of the Howard County Food Bank.
Dozens of Planet employees will spend two days this month planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting produce at the Community Action Council of Howard County’s Community Garden and stocking the Howard County Food Bank.
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The Farmlink Project, a nonprofit combating food insecurity and waste, connects farmers to food banks and communities in need. It funds the harvest and transport of surplus produce that would otherwise go to waste, with boots-on-the-ground assistance from volunteers.
Pledging $100,000 to The Farmlink Project earlier this year, Planet supports Farmlink’s initiatives as part of its Planet With a Purpose (PWaP) social responsibility platform. The company’s donation also funds carbon offset projects that prevent emissions from the global food system.
“Caring about our borrowers, the communities we serve and our planet as a whole are core values for the Planet Family of Companies,” said Michael Dubeck, CEO and President of Planet Financial Group, parent of Planet Home Lending.
By linking broken supply chains in the agricultural and food access industries, The Farmlink Project has moved more than 75 million pounds of food to Food Banks and delivered more than 60 million meals.
“The influence of food waste and lack of access to nutritious food is ever-present in the United States. One in 5 Americans are currently experiencing food insecurity,” said Kate Nelson, Head of Creative at The Farmlink Project. “Corporate partners, like Planet, help us realize our vision to bridge the gap between farmers and food banks through investing in and creating sustainable food systems.”
Annually, the U.S. wastes 31% of food produced, which could help feed families, but instead goes to landfills. Producing, transporting, preparing, storing and disposing of food wastes land, water, labor and energy. By diverting produce from landfills, The Farmlink Project has prevented more than 40 million pounds of carbon emissions to date.