** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ACCELERATE MEETING NATIONAL FOOD LOSS AND WASTE REDUCTION TARGETS BY ENGAGING UNDERREPRESENTED YOUNG ADULTS, PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS, AND HOUSEHOLDS IN IMPROVING NUTRITION SECURITY THROUGH HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE REDUCTION. WE WILL ESTABLISH THE CENTER FOR FOOD CONSERVATION AND WASTE REDUCTION TO MEET THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: 1) USE FOOD LITERACY, ENVIRONMENT, AND WASTE (FLEW) ASSESSMENT TO ESTABLISH A BASELINE MEASURE OF FOOD LITERACY AND IDENTIFY BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE FOOD CONSERVATION AND REDUCE WASTE; 2) ENGAGE THE NEXT GENERATION IN FOOD LOSS AND WASTE REDUCTION IN DEVELOPING A NATIONAL EXTENSION FOOD LOSS AND WASTE STRATEGY THAT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH EXTENSION'S NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR HEALTH EQUITY BY CENTERING ON NUTRITION SECURITY AND CO-CREATED CITIZEN SCIENCE; 3) ADDRESS FOOD LITERACY GAPS AND BUILD CONSERVATION ENGAGEMENT TO REDUCE HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE AND PROMOTE NUTRITION SECURITY, HEALTH EQUITY, AND RESILIENCE THROUGH AN ONLINE RESOURCE HUB AND CO-CREATED PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN; 4) ASSESS THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOD CONSERVATION AND WASTE, FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY, HEALTHY FOOD PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. OUR PROJECT WILL FILL A CRITICAL GAP BY USING CITIZEN SCIENCE TO CO-CREATE A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF FEASIBLE, CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE FOOD LITERACY AND REDUCE HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE. FURTHER, OUR PROJECT WILL EMPOWER HOUSEHOLDS TO BE MORE RESILIENT AND NUTRITION SECURE AND FOSTER AN EARLY APPRECIATION FOR FOOD CONSERVATION AND WASTE REDUCTION. OUR ULTIMATE OUTCOME WILL BE ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY AND AMELIORATING CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH IMPROVED NUTRITION SECURITY AND HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE REDUCTION.