Louisiana students tackle massive issue with Super Bowl aftermath: 'The people of New Orleans are no strangers to the impact'
The Food Recovery Network works with Tulane University and Louisiana State University students to collect surplus food from major game-day events and redirect it to people who need it most.
This marks the fifth year of the Food Recovery Network's Big Game program, which recovers excess food from The Players Tailgate, a premier Super Bowl event. For 2025, Guy Fieri's Flavortown Tailgate joined the initiative, with Hellmann's Mayonnaise supporting for the second year.
"We're so excited to be here," FRN executive director Regina Harmon said in an Instagram video filmed from the Tailgate.
The need for food recovery hits close to home in New Orleans, where a recent winter storm underscored broader environmental challenges.
"The people of New Orleans are no strangers to the impact of climate disasters on their community, and limiting food waste is one of many ways we can all work together to reduce carbon emissions and create a more climate-resilient world," Harmon told AgFunderNews. "And in a city where 62,000 New Orleanians are facing food insecurity, our recovery efforts can help to tackle two crises at once."
Each Super Bowl generates over 140,000 pounds of surplus food waste, about 40 times heavier than a Ford Taurus. "Our large-scale events allow us to recover truckloads of food at a time," said Harmon.
The organization started in 2011 and now works with over 8,000 students across 200-plus U.S. schools. Its latest focus targets community colleges through special grants since research shows two-year schools often serve areas with limited food access.
One school in the first group of grant recipients has already saved 50,000 pounds of food. The success prompted FRN to think bigger: The group aims to grow from helping 4,000 people to 40,000 by 2030.
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"We work really closely with the communities there, because for us it is about dignity and respect and listening to the community," Harmon says. "We're not here to tell them, 'Oh, this is what you need. You need a new FRN chapter.' We work really closely with the communities, let them know what our offerings are, and from there, they tell us what their needs are."
Last year in Las Vegas, FRN students recovered nearly 4,000 pounds of food, enough for 3,328 meals. With two major events participating this year in New Orleans, they're making an even bigger impact.
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