Executive director and founder of Scholars of Sustenance Foundation
SOS has taken action in order to help those who need it the most. By rescuing edible food surpluses from hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets we have made millions of meals.
Tell us your story – how did you get here?
It all started one memorable evening in the ’90s. I was enjoying my dinner at a hotel when I discovered the reality of unforgivable food waste. At the end of the dinner, I saw the hotel staff gradually take each platter full of high-quality food to the hotel’s kitchen for trash disposal. I asked the staff why they threw away such good, edible food – they responded that the dinner is over, and they have to throw it away. As I sat by a window I saw that right below this hotel there were low-income communities, filled with people who could eagerly use these foods. But giving the edible ‘’leftovers’ ’away was not allowed by the hotel.
Immediately, the idea of a food rescue operation filled my mind, known as the Food Hunter, where a group of people come together to go door-to-door at hotels and restaurants to pick up surplus food then redistribute it to the needy. This idea became a reality in what we know today as Scholars of Sustenance (SOS).
In 2012, I founded the privately held Bo H Holmgreen Foundation in the United States and in 2014, Scholars of Sustenance global headquarters. In 2016 the first home of Scholars of Sustenance Asia was founded in Bangkok, and later in Bali in 2017.
Today, we are the Food Rescue Foundation with clear missions, serving people, saving the land, and feeding the mind.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
In 2021 we rescued 99,286.88kg of food in Bali. We helped feed so many homeless and hungry people, especially during Covid-19 when the number of people in need only increased.
What impact have you made in Bali?
Hunger and food waste have been unquestionably two major crises globally. Since the beginning of 2000, we have wanted to tackle this by delivering good quality edible surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away, and serve nutritious food to those who need it the most. The world is producing enough food to feed all 690 million people who are almost starving of hunger.
SOS has taken action in order to help those who need it the most. By rescuing edible food surpluses from hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets we have made millions of meals. We helped 14 orphanages in Bali and delivered over one million meals to the vulnerable in Bali during 2021 – an incredible way to serve the many Balinese and Indonesian residents who lost their jobs and are still without income.
What does the future look like for you?
The first few months of 2022 have been amazing for us in terms of the total meals we have served and the food we have rescued. Hopefully, with the opening of Bali’s borders, we’re heading into a better year with more food to be rescued and served for the people in need in Bali and beyond.
What do you love most about Bali?
The island’s endless spectacular geological wonders, rich culture, and of course, its people.
What does being sustainable mean to you?
People to stop wasting food and to donate surplus food.
Who is your Local Legend and why?
Sungai Watch for their effort to tackle the accumulation of garbage in the sea, which is the result of garbage being dumped in the rivers.