Anaergia Provides Refrigeration Unit Donation to High Desert Second Chance to Feed 3,000 Families Weekly

HESPERIA, Calif., March 8, 2021 – This March, Anaergia Inc.’s (Anaergia) affiliate, Rialto Bioenergy Facility, LLC (Facility), and High Desert Second Chance, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity, unveiled a 1,400 square foot refrigeration unit that will store 100,000 pounds of fresh produce and help feed 3,000 local families every week.

As part of a California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) grant awarded to the Facility, Anaergia donated the refrigeration unit to help store excess edible food. High Desert Second Chance redistributes the collected produce at no cost to High Desert area families in need.

“We are immensely proud to work with a partner like High Desert Second Chance in support of their efforts to feed the San Bernardino community and divert edible food from landfills,” said Yaniv Scherson, Anaergia Chief Operating Officer. “Californians throw away nearly six million tons of food scraps or food waste each year into landfills, generating harmful greenhouse gases. High Desert Second Chance’s commitment to the community and sustainability aligns perfectly with Anaergia’s mission and values.”

“High Desert Second Chance is honored to have received the brand new 1,400 square foot refrigeration unit,” said Christina Keneti Kennedy, Vice President of High Desert Second Chance. “In the previous months before receiving it, High Desert Second Chance had applied to multiple grantors to finance the purchase of a smaller, 400 square foot unit, amongst those grantors, CalRecycle. Our work with Mojave Desert & Mountain Recycling Authority, John Davis, allowed us to connect with Anaergia and receive the much-needed unit. Knowing that we are now capable of taking in more than 100,000 pounds of refrigerated products weekly and store them safely will not only enhance our services to our partner agencies serving throughout the greater San Bernardino County High Desert region, but it will also provide a larger impact by providing healthy produce and dairy products.”  

“The High Desert Second Chance and Anaergia partnership shows how California can fight hunger while fighting climate change by supporting local food recovery programs,” CalRecycle Director Rachel Machi Wagoner said. “CalRecycle grant projects like this have kept 103 million pounds of fresh, surplus food from becoming waste, creating 86 million more meals for Californians in need, 345 local jobs, and reduced landfill methane emissions equal to taking 21,591 cars off the road for a year. Working together we can combat climate change and help Californians facing food insecurity.”

Located in Rialto, California, the Facility will convert 700 tons per day of organic waste and 300 tons per day of biosolids into renewable natural gas and Class A fertilizer. The Facility is located 50 miles east of the City of Los Angeles and services the organic waste recycling needs of the City of Los Angeles and the Southern California region.

About Anaergia

The Rialto Bioenergy Facility, LLC is a subsidiary of Anaergia Inc. – the global technology leader in recovering value from waste for the municipal, industrial, and agriculture sectors. Through its proven portfolio of proprietary technologies, Anaergia’s integrated solutions create value for its customers in the forms of renewable energy, quality fertilizers, and clean water, while dramatically reducing the cost of waste management. Anaergia’s affiliates operate out of ten regional locations, including two manufacturing plants. Anergia’s technologies are in use at over a thousand resource recovery facilities worldwide, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while creating new revenue sources for its clients. For more information on Anaergia, please visit www.anaergia.com or contact info@anaergia.com.

Media Inquiries:

Kristin Blake, Corporate Communications, Kristin.blake@anaergia.com