Hands On Nashville is pleased to announce that it is one of 10 national finalists for the Markham Mark of Distinction, a program of Markham Vineyards that provides two $25,000 awards to outstanding programs that spark community change. Every day between now and August 24, Hands On Nashville needs your vote to win. Funds would support a volunteer-driven food reclamation program at the Nashville Farmers’ Market called Good Food for Good People.

Josh Corlew, one of Hands On Nashville’s current AmeriCorps Members, saw an opportunity to make a difference and seized it. An expert in food reclamation, Corlew was featured in the October 9, 2008 Business Week. As a volunteer outside of his Hands On Nashville/AmeriCorps service, Corlew and friends help coordinate Good Food for Good People with support from the general manager of Nashville Farmers’ Market. Together, they work with vendors to acquire unusable and edible food that would otherwise be discarded, and they transport it to nonprofit feeding programs and area compost sites.

Realizing that this service opportunity was unlimited, Corlew approached Hands On Nashville to see if the initiative could become part of the organization’s programming. The overall impact of Good Food for Good People has dramatically increased because of this partnership, allowing the program to offer year-round benefits to the food insecure and to the environment.

With Markham Mark of Distinction, Hands On Nashville could lead the Farmers’ Market food reclamation process, sorting usable and compost items and delivering them to the appropriate end users. During peak produce-producing months, eight tons of good food could be delivered to feeding programs like the Nashville Rescue Mission and Second Harvest Food Bank. Plus, up to 32 tons of compost could be delivered to community gardens and area colleges. As a result, Good Food for Good People can divert 100 tons of organic municipal solid waste from landfills each year and provide nourishment to the hungry.

Hands On Nashville needs your support and daily votes from now until August 24 in order to win the funding to continue this high-impact program!