40% of food goes to waste.
1 in 7 people go hungry.
I'm so thankful that people have taken the initiative to change these statistics here in Pittsburgh. I'm thankful that grocery stores, markets and restaurants have a desire to see their surplus food passed on to people who can use it and that thousands of volunteers have come together to make this happen.
The mission of 412 Food Rescue is to prevent perfectly good food from entering the waste stream.
412 Food Rescue is the only Pittsburgh
organization that directly addresses the fact that we waste 40% of our food
while 1 in 7 go hungry. Founded in 2015, 412 Food Rescue and its growing corps
of over 2,000 volunteers in the Pittsburgh region have recovered over 1 million
pounds of food from over 200 retailers and donated to over 250 nonprofits!
412 Food Rescue is providing huge resources of ending food waste in our community. They are facilitating thousands of pounds of food from stores and restaurants that would typically be thrown away and engaging a volunteer army to move it to organizations that will put it to use. It's important to note that this is not "food waste". They do not rescue spoiled food, wilted vegetables,
expired food or consumer waste. They recover perfectly good, healthy
food –mostly fruits and vegetables. Food is donated for many
reasons:
- They are approaching their sell-by dates and need to be used within the day or a few days.
- They are not up to consumers’ “cosmetic standards” for food – consumers want the perfect apple, tomato etc.
- They need to be cooked or eaten today or in a few days – e.g. yellow bananas and other ripe fruit, day old bread that are still good, vegetables that are ready to be cooked today or in a few days. All perfectly good but will need to be consumed soon.
"412 Food Rescue has helped to ensure that no HACP resident will be denied access to fresh, healthy food. Despite major cuts to the federal SNAP program....412 Food Rescue has managed to effectively end hunger in our public housing communities."
Michelle SandidgeHousing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
My daughter and I recently had the opportunity to do a Food Rescue. It was shockingly easy, close to our home and took less than an hour of time out of our day! We were able to sign up for a pick at a local Giant Eagle and drop off at a family center that were both within 10 minutes of our house. With hundreds of food donors in our region, you can most likely find a location near you as well!
As more food donors come together to eradicate food waste in our city, more and more volunteers are needed! It's a simple task that many of us could add into our weekly schedule. The first step is to download the 412FR app. Go here for iTunes/iPhone and here for GooglePlay/Android.
The app allows you to login, see if there are any food rescues needed in your area and allows you to accept the rescue. It's so easy to use! This tutorial explains exactly how to use the app for your rescue.
In 2017, 412 Food Rescue is set to hit two million pounds of food rescued and is gearing up to launch its technology in other cities. In less than two years, 412 Food Rescue has been recognized nationally as a leader in food recovery. It is so exciting to see the way food surplus can be distributed in a city and to see other cities getting ready to follow the model that has been initiated in Pittsburgh!
GIVEAWAY:
Want to help spread the word about 412 Food Rescue? Enter our giveaway to win special 412FR swag! Includes a t-shirt, an apron, a bag and stickers (valued at $50).
Want to learn more about 412 Food Rescue in person? One of the 412FR co-founders, Leah Lizarando, will be speaking at NextFest Pittsburgh on Friday, April 7. Go here for more information.
· See more on the 412 Food Rescue social media channels:
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Facebook: http://bit.ly/2nTiW6L
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Twitter: http://bit.ly/2oRkEmY
o Instagram: http://bit.ly/2oR0rxF
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YouTube: http://bit.ly/2nPjU2m
#412FoodRescue
#FoodRescueHeroes
#EndFoodWaste
Sponsored post in partnership with The Motherhood on behalf of 412 Food Rescue.
