Chicken, Anyone?

Many of us are familiar with rotisserie chickens awaiting pick-up in grocery stores, roasting away until someone makes a purchase – up to a point.  But what happens to those chickens that go past their time limit?  Those that are suddenly “not good enough.”  Unfortunately, many end up in the trash bin, headed for the landfill where they will take up space and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions as they decompose.  Such items are great sources of protein for the needy, and are easily captured through creative partnerships between supermarkets and charitable food agencies.  With a little effort to build relationships and establish a reliable pick-up schedule, excess protein can be captured for local food shelves where it is sorely needed.  Food shelves get quality food, stores benefit from tax deductions, improved morale, lower trash disposal costs, and positive customer perception, and environmental impact is reduced.  Everybody wins.  Once the benefits become clear, other creative programs can follow with support rather than resistance.