Milwaukee Food Waste & Recovery Community Market
WasteCap Resource Solutions hosted the Milwaukee Food Waste & Recovery Community Market, a free, community-focused event that unveiled the results of Milwaukee’s comprehensive Food Waste and Recovery Study. Held at the Experience Milwaukee Wantable Café, the event brought together local vendors, tastemakers, and sustainability leaders who are transforming food waste into opportunity. Attendees explored key findings from the study, discovered innovative solutions from community organizations, and heard insights from city leaders on building a more resilient future. The day highlighted how small changes, whether in homes, businesses, or neighborhoods, can create a big impact for our environment, economy, and community.
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The FEED MKE Coalition, led by the City of Milwaukee’s Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO), shared updates on its USDA-funded pilot project tackling food waste while feeding the community. Since launching in 2024, the coalition has grown to nearly 400 members, redistributed $190,000 in mini-grants to food recovery and composting projects, and launched Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s city-wide Food Saver Challenge. The presentation highlighted progress in building public-private partnerships, diverting thousands of pounds of food waste from landfills, and expanding community education and engagement through workshops, events, and storytelling. Attendees saw how FEED MKE is laying the foundation for a city-wide system that reduces waste, improves food access, and advances Milwaukee’s vision of becoming a world-class eco-city. |
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Food Freedom Milwaukee is a community initiative dedicated to food sovereignty, ecological health, and neighborhood empowerment. With a vision of creating hyper-local food systems, the organization works to reawaken the human practice of growing our own food while restoring land and community connections. Their presentation, Food Freedom Milwaukee and the Benefits of Native Plants, highlights how native plants not only provide critical habitat for pollinators and wildlife but also strengthen resilient food systems, conserve resources, and honor the natural and cultural heritage of our region. Attendees learned why native plants are vital to biodiversity, soil health, and climate resilience, and how cultivating them in our neighborhoods can support pollinators, reduce resource use, and strengthen community connections. |
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Regenerate MKE is an initiative focused on strengthening both soil and community through regenerative practices that support ecological and human well-being. Rooted in permaculture principles and Indigenous knowledge, the organization emphasizes fair share, waste reduction, and valuing community resilience. Their presentation, Stories of What’s Going Right in Our Bioregion/Watershed, explored the Milwaukee River Estuary and Great Lakes Basin as living systems, highlighting opportunities for social, ecological, and economic regeneration. Attendees learned how healthy soil, clean water, and regenerative education can restore balance, while stories of healing and resilience illustrated how local communities can reconnect to the land and each other. |
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The MARM Education and Conservation Center is a nonprofit organization committed to regenerating our food systems, lands, and communities through education, stewardship, and innovative growing practices. With initiatives ranging from an urban farm to the development of SCUGU—self-contained urban growing units—MARM is dedicated to planting seeds of change through school programs, workshops, and community engagement. Their presentation, Zero Waste Cooking, highlighted practical strategies to reduce food waste at home and in communities by repurposing leftovers, using entire ingredients, and adopting mindful storage and meal planning techniques. Attendees learned how zero waste cooking not only saves money and prevents landfill emissions but also promotes healthier, fresher meals and more sustainable living. |
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WasteCap Resource Solutions presented Milwaukee’s Path to Zero Food Waste: An Actionable Roadmap, unveiling the findings of the 2024 Milwaukee Food Waste Assessment in support of the city’s Climate & Equity Plan. The presentation highlighted how Milwaukee generates over 142,000 tons of food waste annually and outlined practical solutions for redirecting edible food to people in need, expanding composting and biodigestion, and creating new opportunities for jobs, clean energy, and farmland restoration. Attendees gained a clear picture of the scale of the challenge and the roadmap of policies, infrastructure, and community action needed to move Milwaukee toward a future of zero food waste. You can view the full study results here. |
