How to get involved in food rescue initiatives

We’ve all found ourselves clutching that lonely can of forgotten pantry beans, the last of an impulse bulk purchase at a warehouse club or a great sale at the grocery store. You might throw them in the trash or (hopefully) send them to your local food bank, alongside pasta, boxed mac and cheese, and other dry goods. And that’s probably where our understanding of food waste begins and ends.

But the


nationwide problem


of


excess food waste


, and the subsequent


movement


to


reduce and reallocate


our country’s excess, is much more complex.


Food




rescue


, or reallocation, is the umbrella term for a wide array of initiatives that seek to save food destined for landfills and redistribute it to those in need, with the hope of reducing environmental harm and curbing food insecurity. The movement goes beyond just efforts to donate food to those in need: It addresses overconsumption, encouraging people to donate what they’ve already grown or purchased, rather than adding more food into a system of waste.

And the movement


operates across industries


, on multiple levels, addressing both larger-scale agricultural waste and smaller-scale household waste. Government programs encourage farms and businesses to donate food surpluses through government incentives. Food banks redistribute would-be waste to communities in need, and new tech ventures, like on-demand food donation apps, connect people to food on an individual basis.

The


U.S. Department of Agriculture


estimates that the United States wastes 133 billion pounds of food a year due to factors like issues during transportation, over-ordering by retail businesses, and household waste. Food waste (or “surplus”) makes up about


24 percent of what goes into American landfills


, with consumer-facing businesses creating 23 million tons of waste and households creating 30 million tons of waste each year, according to


ReFED


, a nonprofit that collects data on food waste across the United States.

Globally, 14 percent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated 17 percent of total global food production is wasted, the


United Nations reports


. That massive amount of food waste is associated with up to 10 percent of greenhouse emissions, according to another 2021


report


from the United Nations. “Reducing food waste would cut greenhouse gas emissions, slow the destruction of nature through land conversion and pollution, enhance the availability of food and thus reduce hunger and save money at a time of global recession,”

Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said in a press release

at the time.

The USDA reports around


34 million Americans are food insecure


. In 2021, national hunger nonprofit


Feeding America


estimated that


more than 42 million people


faced food insecurity in the United States. And with the

expiration of pandemic safety net programs like emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits

impacting millions of Americans, that’s a lot of hungry households that could be fed with the billions of pounds of food going to landfills.

Dr. Roni Neff, director of the Food System Sustainability and Public Health Program at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and associate professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, says the push to rescue food has grown over the last decade as the nation’s network of food pantries and food banks expanded, made clear during the pandemic. “There’s massive inequities in need, and that’s been shown during COVID-19 quite clearly,” Neff said. “I think that the ‘big bang for the buck’ is in larger scale processes, but there are really important ways that individuals can come into it.”

While food waste and food insecurity aren’t going to be eradicated purely by individual actions, Neff says, your choices can still help.

Here’s how you can take part in food rescue on almost every level, from donations to daily choices to reduce your waste:

1. Offer your uneaten food before it goes to waste

Traditional food banks are the most common, and often accessible, way to donate your unused food to those in need. Justin Block is the former managing director of Digital Platform Technology at hunger nonprofit


Feeding America


, a national organization working to end hunger through a system of nationwide food pantries and nutrition programs. It coordinates multi-level donations of would-be food waste from individuals, small businesses, and larger corporate donors through a program called


Meal Connect


.

Meal Connect supports food rescue on many levels. First, there’s mealconnect.org, an online platform for donors to post extra, available food to be claimed by food pantries around the country, Block explains. Meal Connect connects donors directly to individuals or transportation businesses that can pick up and deliver food to the closest participating food bank or food pantry. It also distributes larger amounts of food from restaurants, small businesses, and individuals to food vendors, soup kitchens, and food pantries, using volunteers trained to handle and transport food.

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To donate food directly from your own kitchen, find your closest Feeding America food pantry. The organization has a searchable


database of local participating food banks


in your area. For food pantries outside the Feeding America network, check out


foodfinder.us


— an interactive virtual map of food pantries around the country.

Small business owners who would like to donate unused, excess food can


register for the Meal Connect program


.

Also check out other nonprofits attempting to reduce food waste through community-generated initiatives and creative tech:

• 
  
  Move For Hunger
  
  
  teams up with businesses, licensed moving companies, and volunteers to transport unwanted food to local food banks, allowing businesses and individuals to curb their own waste and provide food to people in need. Founded in New Jersey, the organizations now operates in all 50 states and Canada. If you’re moving and need to get rid of pantry items, find a
  
  
  registered food mover
  
  
  on Move for Hunger’s website who will deliver your nonperishable food to your local food bank.

• 
  
  Rescuing Leftover Cuisine
  
  
  is a nonprofit focused on saving food surplus from food vendors and places like offices, dining halls, and restaurants. Through a digital network of volunteers, the organization coordinates food pickups and distribution across nine branches:
  
  
  Atlanta, GA
  
  
  ,
  
  
  Chicago, IL
  
  
  ,
  
  
  Columbus, OH
  
  
  ,
  
  
  Dallas, TX
  
  
  ,
  
  
  Los Angeles, CA
  
  
  ,
  
  
  Massachusetts
  
  
  ,
  
  
  New Jersey
  
  
  ,
  
  
  New York City
  
  
  , and
  
  
  Rhode Island
  
  
  . You can
  
  
  sign up to donate
  
  
  your organization’s excess food online.

• 
  
  Food Rescue US
  
  
  ‘ network of food donors, movers, community organizations, and food banks distribute food directly from donors to individuals in need in 24 states and the District of Columbia. You can
  
  
  register
  
  
  online to be a pickup and transport volunteer,
  
  start a Food Rescue US location
  
  in your area, or
  
  contact a local chapter’s director
  
  to become a donor.

• 
  
  Food Rescue Hero
  
  
  is a food rescue app, available on the
  
  
  Apple Store
  
  
  and
  
  
  Google Play
  
  
  , providing a platform for retail-based food rescue networks of food rescue and hunger relief nonprofits. The app serves 15 food rescue partners covering over 25 communities.

• 
  
  Waste No Food
  
  
  is a nonprofit online “marketplace” for businesses, farms, and nonprofits to connect in order to reduce and redistribute uneaten food. You can register as a
  
  
  donor
  
  
  yourself (primarily for business, farm, or grocery store owners), or
  
  sign up as a volunteer
  
  . Charities or nonprofit organizations are encouraged to
  
  
  register
  
  
  with Waste No Food to claim excess food through the organization’s online system.

• 
  
  Ample Harvest
  
  
  is a nonprofit that encourages individuals to reduce their food waste by donating excess produce from
  
  home
  
  and
  
  
  larger-scale
  
  
  gardening initiatives. Those interested in
  
  
  either growing or donating already-grown food
  
  
  can sign up online. You can also search for a
  
  food pantry
  
  near you.

Or you can go even more hyperlocal by donating your food directly to your neighbors. For example, community fridge programs — mutual aid initiatives where volunteers maintain publicly-accessible fridges open 24/7 — accept a wide array of food, both cooked and nonperishable. You can find a map of fridges near you on


Freedge.com


, an international nonprofit supporting community fridges around the world.

Each organization has its own guidelines for food safety and donations. But, broadly, Neff says that people are quick to throw out food


long before it’s actually bad


, and that’s adding to our waste problem. “It’s important to recognize that most date labels are not about food safety. They’re the manufacturer’s best estimate of when quality might decline, but it often is declining at an imperceptible amount,” Neff explains. The USDA’s

guide to food safety labels

explains that “best if used by” or “use by” dates — which typically aren’t required by federal law — are only indicators of a product’s quality, not food safety. Except for select products like baby formula, “if the date passes during home storage, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly,” the USDA explains.

Additionally, many food businesses are now abiding by


voluntary industry guidelines


, Neff says. In these guidelines, “best if used by” is used to mark the quality date for the vast majority of foods (like the USDA explains). Where these guidelines diverge are with “use by” labels, which many grocers and food retailers are now using to mark a smaller portion of products where safety could be a concern if consumed after the date.

If you’re unsure, check with food rescue organizations for specific guidance on their donation protocols. Ample Harvest recommends using its

ProducePedia

to find nutritional and storage facts about various food items before donating.

2. Give your time and money to nonprofits and rescue initiatives

No food to offer? No worries. Neff says money and time make the biggest impact in reducing waste, helping organizations with their efforts in food rescue, environmental activism, and hunger relief to make wide-reaching, long-term change.

While donating money over food might seem a bit disconnected, or might not “feel as good as giving some concrete product,” Neff says, “the money can often go a much longer way.” Depending on the organization, monetary donations can also help build stronger food rescue networks, funding more transportation, storage facilities, or other operating costs needed to expand across the country. Donations also support political outreach for environmentally friendly policies, and can fund initiatives that provide educational resources to communities addressing food waste and insecurity, she says. Volunteering similarly helps organizations expand their capacity to collect and distribute mass amounts of food waste, explains Neff.

• Consider
  
  volunteering
  
  with Feeding America to help Meal Connect’s work with participating, nearby food banks. Volunteers help sort and pack food, staff food pantries, and deliver meals directly to homes.

• Monetary
  
  
  donations
  
  
  to Ample Harvest can be made as single “eat once” contributions of a can or box food or as general contributions to
  
  AmpleHarvest.org
  
  “to create a sustainable and recurring opportunity for local growers to share their harvest with neighborhood food pantries.” You can also sponsor a
  
  single food pantry
  
  in your area.

• Move for Hunger operates off of
  
  
  donations
  
  
  to fund its transportation services, food drives, and more. Current donations go toward the organization’s efforts to address food insecurity caused by rising prices and cuts to SNAP benefits. According to the organization, a $25 donation provides enough resources to deliver 63 meals. You can also
  
  volunteer
  
  with the organization as a
  
  mover
  
  , join a
  
  marathon fundraiser
  
  , or
  
  register
  
  your community in the Move for Hunger network to facilitate neighborhood donations.

• Rescuing Leftover Cuisine needs
  
  
  volunteers to transport
  
  
  donations. The organization also accepts
  
  
  monetary donations
  
  
  that go towards the transportation and delivery of excess food. You can donate directly to a rescue branch in your area.

• Food Rescue US uses a robust volunteer network to help with food rescue across participating states, staff community kitchens reusing food surplus, and deliver meals directly to those in need. The organization also accepts
  
  
  monetary donations
  
  
  that go towards operating costs as well as food transportation. You can also donate directly to one of its local chapters from the same page.

• You can
  
  
  donate
  
  
  to the founding organization behind the Food Rescue Hero app,
  
  
  412 Food Rescue
  
  
  , which also delivers would-be food waste to a network of nonprofits battling food insecurity. Donations fund the organization’s transportation and delivery costs, as well as its
  
  partner programs
  
  , including a
  
  monthly grocery subscription
  
  that distributes “ugly” produce and a program that
  
  turns salvaged food surplus into fresh meals
  
  .

• To help Waste No Food’s mission, sign up as a transportation or outreach
  
  
  volunteer
  
  
  , part of the organization’s efforts to enroll more food surplus donors. Volunteers can help run food to nonprofits or reach out directly to food businesses and farms to enroll them in local food rescue efforts. You can also
  
  donate
  
  money directly, which goes towards transportation and supply costs for volunteer deliveries.
  
  Connect with the organization
  
  to find up-to-date information on volunteering and donating.

For more organizations to support, ReFED’s

Solution Provider Directory

lists more than 1,500 organizations working to prevent, rescue, and recycle food surpluses.

3. Support environment and people-focused policies

These individual actions are just a small part of the solution to a nationwide problem. As Neff explains, food rescue initiatives are necessary but act only as temporary and limited solutions. “It’s something we absolutely

should

do, but sometimes we kind of over-romanticize what it

can

do,” she says. “If we really want to address hunger, it’s not about collecting chunks of food and giving it to people, it’s about addressing the root causes of hunger.”

So, alongside these short-term actions, waste-conscious consumers can advocate for federal policies that target things like employment, living wages, universal basic income, and assistance programs like


SNAP


, Neff says. The mass amount of food waste going to landfills each year proves that food insecurity isn’t the product of food scarcity, she adds. Part of the problem is simply a lack of money to purchase varied, nutritious food before it goes to waste. Supporting federal

programs

like SNAP and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children


(WIC)


helps provide low-income households with this purchasing power, Neff says.

Individuals can also encourage their representatives to enact legislation targeting food waste directly. Policies like Vermont’s

Universal Recycling Law

prohibit food waste from residential and commercial trash, encouraging food to be donated or composted in environmentally-friendly ways. Or ask your legislative representatives to support new federal-level food rescue initiatives. In 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ran the


Food Recovery Challenge


, a mission to incentivize partners to cut the country’s food waste


in half


by 2030. The challenge gathered 600 participants and endorsers to divert over

1.2 million tons of wasted food

from entering landfills or incinerators.

In ReFED’s 2021


Roadmap to 2030


report — outlining the main causes of food waste and


seven solutions


to curb waste over the next 10 years — the organization reinforced the need to


incentivize food rescue


initiatives with tax credits for rescue programs. Angel Veza, ReFED’s capital, innovation, and engagement senior manager, says these tax credits would help both food businesses and food rescue organizations, which she says require this type of support to build self-sustainable business models beyond just charitable donations. Federal tax incentives offer a stronger platform for businesses to prioritize food rescue within their operations, and individuals should encourage their representatives to integrate these benefits into climate and health policy when possible, according to ReFED. Veza also says individuals should advocate for increased liability protections — like the federal

Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act

that protects food donors from legal liability — for food businesses and organizations that distribute or resell rescued food.

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And to help prevent food waste before it even happens, ReFED emphasizes the need for a federally supported


food waste education


— whether in the form of large-scale educational campaigns or integrated into the school system itself. The USDA currently provides information on food storage and waste on


MyPlate.gov



.

Individuals can begin doing this work themselves, educating their families, friends, and coworkers about the impact of food waste and how they can support food rescuers. Check out ReFED’s

Insights Engine

to learn more about the country’s food system, read about solutions, and calculate the environmental and social impact of food waste yourself.

UPDATE: Aug. 5, 2023, 5:00 a.m. EDT

Originally published in April 2021, this story has been updated with current figures and additional information.