Since 2015, the Franklin County Solid Waste District has worked with Deerfield Academy staff to collect and sort unopened food and personal care products from students. The school staff has created a successful system of placing boxes in all living areas two weeks prior to the end of the school year. Signage on each box alerts students to what is acceptable. The staff then collects all of the boxes and brings them to a central area.
Solid Waste District staff sort through the boxes and repack food and non-food items. Each year, the District’s pickup truck is full of food and supplies. This year, 400 pounds of food and 265 pounds of non-food items were collected. A total of 665 pounds of food, drinks, and personal care products were donated to the Survival Center Food Pantry. The 2026 total is 5% higher than last year.
This is a wonderful program that diverts usable food and supplies from the trash and donates them to people who need them.
Thanks and appreciation to the Deerfield Academy staff and the Survival Center Food Pantry staff. This program would not be as successful without this amazing partnership.