DALLAS -
Hunger Busters is a non-profit organization that relies on food donations. Leftover bread from Eatzi's and cookies from a local bakery helped make dozens of box lunches, headed for underprivileged kids at summer camp on Tuesday.
"If you took all the donations out we wouldn't be able to produce half the meals," said Brandon Barganski, Executive Director of Hunger Busters.
Across the country, the demand for free meals rose an average of 30% last year. Meanwhile some restaurants still throw away food.
According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, up to 96 billion pounds of food go to waste in the United States each year.
"It's difficult for restaurants, so I don't put blame on restaurants for just dumping it's because they're horrified of a lawsuit that might come down upon them," Barganski said.
A growing number of states are trying to change that through legislation. A Nevada law went into affect this month protecting food donors from civil liability. Mississippi now allows the Department of Health to authorize donations. Massachusetts is considering tax credits and California is discussing a new database to make the process easier.
In Texas, food donors are protected from liability as long as they follow state food establishment rules. Anything previously served may not be donated. Everything else must be labeled and kept at the appropriate temperature. It's also the donor's responsibility to make sure food recipients have the facilities to transport, store and re-heat.
Many local pantries say they aren't equipped to handle prepared food and they're concerned about health code violations.
"You never want to make anybody sick, so everybody is really careful about that, but it's also the knowledge. You'd be surprised how many restaurants and chefs out there that don't know that's an option or that they can do that," said Jay Valley, Eatzi's Corporate Chef.
The Texas Department of Agriculture is holding Restaurant Week in September to increase awareness.
"If you took all the donations out we wouldn't be able to produce half the meals," said Brandon Barganski, Executive Director of Hunger Busters.
Across the country, the demand for free meals rose an average of 30% last year. Meanwhile some restaurants still throw away food.
According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, up to 96 billion pounds of food go to waste in the United States each year.
"It's difficult for restaurants, so I don't put blame on restaurants for just dumping it's because they're horrified of a lawsuit that might come down upon them," Barganski said.
A growing number of states are trying to change that through legislation. A Nevada law went into affect this month protecting food donors from civil liability. Mississippi now allows the Department of Health to authorize donations. Massachusetts is considering tax credits and California is discussing a new database to make the process easier.
In Texas, food donors are protected from liability as long as they follow state food establishment rules. Anything previously served may not be donated. Everything else must be labeled and kept at the appropriate temperature. It's also the donor's responsibility to make sure food recipients have the facilities to transport, store and re-heat.
Many local pantries say they aren't equipped to handle prepared food and they're concerned about health code violations.
"You never want to make anybody sick, so everybody is really careful about that, but it's also the knowledge. You'd be surprised how many restaurants and chefs out there that don't know that's an option or that they can do that," said Jay Valley, Eatzi's Corporate Chef.
The Texas Department of Agriculture is holding Restaurant Week in September to increase awareness.
