Mickey Weiss, everybody’s favorite mensch and philanthropist, diedmore than a year ago, but his good works go on.
His most lasting monument is the Charitable Distribution Facility,which he and his wife Edna established 10 years ago. Since then, theFacility has routed millions of pounds of fresh fruits andvegetables, previously wasted at wholesale food markets, to thehungry and needy.
Among his collaborators were Prof. Peter Clarke and researchscientist Susan H. Evans of the USC School of Medicine, who are nowco-directors of a project called From the Wholesaler to the Hungry.
Building on Mickey’s original concept, their project, involvingfood banks, grocery chains, food recovery programs and trainingsessions, has now spread to 52 American cities and is growing at therate of 10-12 additional cities each year.
The USC team was in Washington, D.C. recently, leading a workshopon their project at the National Summit on Food Recovery andGleaning.
They were also on hand for a special ceremony, accepting aposthumous award to Mickey, presented by Secretary of Agriculture DanGlickman on behalf of the American people. — Tom Tugend,Contributing Editor
Accepting a citation for Micky Weiss on left are: School ofMedicine Professor, Susan H. Evans, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture DanGlickman and Schoolf of Medicine Research Scientist, Peter Clarke.Evans and Clarke are co-directors of From the Wholesaler to theHungry.
Top; The founders of From the Wholesalerto the Hungry (Micky Weiss, Peter Clarke and Susan Evans) gather atthe pioneering facility in Los Angeles. With them is a nun from abattered women’a shelter who chooses produce for her facility.
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