Resources
Throughout this handbook, we’ve referenced key data and reports to help ground our model in the larger context of food insecurity, food waste, and community-based solutions. Below is a list of these sources, organized by topic, with links for further exploration.
Food Waste in America
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – United States 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal
Link to EPA food waste triangle graphic
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Food Loss and Waste Overview
Recycling and Trash Solutions (RTS) – Food Waste in America: 2024 Guide
Food Waste in America – Statistics and Impacts (EPA and USDA Joint Statement and Supporting Reports)
Federal Resources
How to apply for 501c3 status with the IRS
IRS Publication 4303: A Donor’s Guide to Vehicle Donation
Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act
California Reports, Law & Regulations
California SB1383: Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Law
Map the Meal Gap 2025: Feeding America Report
CALMatters Report on Federal Food Program Cuts (2025)
Marin County Specific Resources
Study: Thousands of Marin seniors among state’s hidden poor (updated July 19, 2018)
Organizational & Operational Tools
Nonprofit Insurance Alliance of California (NIAC)
Donorbox Online Fundraising Platform
Respecting Our Elders documents, including our Volunteer handbook and agreements, Articles of Incorporation, and bylaws Please send an email to ruth@respectingourelders.org to request these files.
Additional Recommended Reading
Bloom, Jonathan. American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It) (Da Capo Press, 2010) americanwastelandbook.com/
Stuart, Tristram. Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal (W. W. Norton & Company, 2009) tristramstuart.co.uk/books
Martin, Katie S. Reinventing Food Banks and Pantries: New Tools to End Hunger (Island Press, 2021) islandpress.org/books/reinventing-food-banks-and-pantries
All of these books are available through major online retailers, or your favorite local bookstore.
