Toward Zero Waste, Wake County Public School System, NC Cooperative Extension – Wake County Center and Wake County Government have joined forces to combat child hunger with the Stop Hunger and Restore Earth Program, or SHARE. With a growing roster of schools, SHARE is asking more members of the community to offer donations to support the program and keep students fed.
Launched by Toward Zero Waste in spring 2025 with initial funding from the Lonnie and Carol Poole Family Foundation, the SHARE program allows kids to donate approved, unwanted and unopened food items, which are then used as snacks during the school day, instead of the food being sent to the landfill. SHARE started with eight pilot schools, and with early momentum, has quickly grown to 27 over the last year. More than 45 additional Wake County schools have expressed interest in joining the program.
“Students are more likely to excel in their classes and extracurricular activities when they don’t have to worry about empty stomachs,” said Wake County Commissioner Tara Waters. “SHARE is an excellent program for teaching future generations the importance of being environmentally responsible and generous toward their peers.”…