Program collects waste food from supermarkets, restaurants and market stalls and provides meals on a pay-as-you-feel basis.

Leeds, UK -- (SBWire) -- 12/04/2014 --One of the United Kingdom's most admirable programs may be forced to close unless additional funding is secured.

It's The Real Junk Food Project, a community interest company run by Adam Smith, a chef in the working class town of Armley. In the past year, this program has diverted more than 20,000 kilograms (44,000 pounds) of edible food to 10,000 individuals, many of whom can't afford healthy meals.

This "junk food" – which comes from supermarkets, restaurants and market stalls across Leeds – would have gone to biogas recovery systems (anaerobic digesters), livestock feed or landfill if not for the project.

Thanks to Smith and an army of volunteers, The Real Junk Food Project has been serving celebrities, media, the affluent, homeless, students and elderly at the Pay As You Feel Café in Armley. In addition to providing quality meals, this program reduces waste since some of the uneaten food would otherwise been headed for a landfill.

Unfortunately, Smith and his colleagues are not able to obtain a mortgage in the UK since the business is less than one year old. If they can't raise enough funds to purchase the café, it will be sold by the owner.

"The cafe in Armley represents more than just a physical space," Smith said. "It has been a source of inspiration and a launching pad for similar sustainability projects all around the country, with food waste cafes springing up everywhere from Manchester to Brighton."

Smith and his associates have embarked on a "Save Your Café" crusade to purchase the café outright but they don't currently have the financial resources to do so. The purchase price is 100,000 pounds ($158,000 US). In order to raise this money, Smith has launched an Indiegogo campaign, which can be viewed at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-real-junk-food-project-pay-as-you-feel-cafe--2

Donations of any amount are welcome. For 30 pounds ($47), backers will receive a jar of The Real Junk Food Project chutney. A 100-pound ($158) pledge is rewarded with two tickets to an exclusive evening of entertainment that features "junk food" canapés as well as a meet-and-greet with Smith and others who run the project.

"The cafe has become an invaluable resource for so many in the local community, and to see it close would be a hard blow to everyone who has worked so hard to build it into what it is today," said Smith. "With these funds, we can buy the cafe outright and continue feeding the world with food waste for years to come.

"It's crazy that more than a billion tons of edible food worldwide is wasted every year, while the same amount of people are living in poverty around the world. If you'd like to do something about it, please support The Real Junk Food Project."

For additional information, visit https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-real-junk-food-project-pay-as-you-feel-cafe--2 ; the project website, http://www.therealjunkfoodproject.co.uk ; or The Real Junk Food Project Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/TheRealJunkFoodProject?ref=hl

Smith can be reached directly at therealjunkfoodproject@outlook.com

Contact Name: Adam Smith
Company Name: The Real Junk Food Project
Email Address: therealjunkfoodproject@outlook.com
Website URL: http://www.therealjunkfoodproject.co.uk
City: Leeds
State: West Yorkshire
Zip Code: LS12-2DJ
Country: UK
Phone Number: +44-1133181844