Upcycled Foods RUNdraiser!

Hey friends!

This year I'm going to run 5 half marathons (listed below) throughout Spain to raise money for and spread awareness of the upcycled food movement, and I need your support!

Upcycled foods are created using ingredients or by-products that would have otherwise been considered waste. This process repurposes these materials into new, high-value food products. For example, using the pulp from juicing fruits/vegetables to make chips or flours for baking. Or, taking leftover whey from yogurt production and using it to create healthy and delicious beverages. And upcycling isn't just reserved for the professionals, it's something we can all do in own kitchens if we just get a little creative.

According to Project Drawdown, a research organization that focuses on identifying and promoting the most effective solutions for reversing global warming, reducing food waste is an essential step in addressing climate change and achieving a sustainable future. We can decrease greenhouse gas emissions, increase food security, and save resources and money. And, with an ever growing population, the strain on the environment is only going to increase.

100% of the funds that I raise throughout this campaign will be donated to the Upcycled Food Foundation (UFF). The UFF, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and the Upcycled Food Association (UFA), an industry association, were formed in 2019 to catalyze the upcycled economy to prevent food loss and waste across the entire supply chain. UFF provides consumer education about upcycling, both by preserving and using food in the home, and by purchasing upcycled products, to further growth of innovation and product development in the upcycled industry. To find out more, please visit their website.

As part of this fundraising project, I'll be participating in the Plátano de Canarias National Running Circuit. Plátano de Canarias, a banana brand with 8,000 independent producers who develop the crop in the Canary Islands, will donate a kilo of bananas to FESBAL (Spanish Federation of Food Banks) for each kilometer run by each of the participants in the 5 circuit races. In 2020, thanks to the kilometers covered by all the circuit participants, Plátano de Canarias donated 450,000 kilos of bananas to FESBAL.

I am reaching out to ask for your support. My goal is to raise $5,000 this year for the Upcycled Foods Association. Any contribution you can make, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated (even just sharing this post with your networks!). Thank you for reading and stay tuned for updates throughout the year!

<3 Dan Battelle