From the outbox of Meyer’s inbox:

As kids we were all often told to “clean our plates.” When there was a protest over a heaping portion of Brussels sprouts we were then reminded of all the starving children around the world who would love those Brussels sprouts. We could incur great wrath by asking for their addresses. But hunger in America is a very serious problem. Fortunately, there are some folks who are taking the proverbial bull by the horns and seeing to it that food isn’t going to waste. Here’s a story about some new policies happening in California to help feed the hungry. Next time you go out to dinner, ask the restaurant what they do with their leftovers. Might be a great way to get a dialogue going.

LEFTOVERS FOR THE NEEDY: IT’S NOT THAT HARD by David Lazarus for the Los Angeles Times

Why not set up a clearinghouse that connects restaurants and caterers that have meals to donate with groups that can distribute it? It never ceases to amaze me how difficult it can be to get some businesses to do the right thing. Donating leftover food is a good example.

More than 14 million Americans were out of work as of last month. The national unemployment rate is 9.3%; California’s jobless rate is a staggering 12.3%. Fedmeister Ben Bernake said last week that high unemployment is keeping the economic outlook “unusually uncertain.”

Yet as families everywhere struggle to get by, officials and businesses are still dithering over how to get unwanted food to shelters, food pantries and other resources for the down and out.

As I reported more than a year ago California caterers, hotels and restaurants throw out roughly 1.5 million tons of perfectly good food every year, according to the state Integrated Waste Management Board.

This isn’t the still-edible food that many stores routinely donate to community groups once expiration dates are passed. No, we’re talking whole meals — the stuff in the steam trays at banquets and other functions — that frequently end up in the dumpster because no one tried to get them to those who might want or need it. Read More...

Think about what it takes to climb a mountain. Maybe you start out with a little practice on a gym rock wall, all strapped into safety harnesses. Then when you’re ready you head out to the real rocks and loaded up with all kinds of equipment like ropes, carabiners, grappling hooks, belays, special shoes, special gloves and that’s just the basics. Once you’re ready, you stand at the base of your chosen mountain, take a deep breath and begin to climb. For those who have had this kind of outdoor experience that say it’s as thrilling as it gets.

Now, think about a young boy who can’t even climb out of bed without help from his mom or dad. Or other boys who should be out playing baseball or building tree forts but instead are confined to wheelchairs. These boys are trapped inside their own broken bodies with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and they’ll never have a chance to climb, run, or swim unless a cure for this devasting disease can be found and found fast. That’s exactly what CureDuchenne is setting out to do: find a cure by prodding research and firing up the clinical trials of promising new drug therapies. Read More...