Our Story: 2007-Present

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In October of 2007, I became aware that food establishments throw perfectly good food in the garbage.  It drove me nuts, and my family started picking up food at local restaurants in support of our local food pantries. To this day I am completely discontent with the idea that 40% of our food is wasted, while 1 in 6 are food insecure in America.   Since that time, Food Rescue has connected over 200 caring agencies with over 200 restaurants, and 700 schools resulting in over a million meals being rescued annually.  We do not manage any of these connections, as our focus is advocacy, education, and initial logistics to get things started. 

Prior generations are responsible for the current mindsets and policies regarding food waste in America.  We believe the best hope to solve the food waste crisis, (the crisis of having an abundance while ignoring those in need and potential environmental damage caused by food waste) is to engage future generations through education and leadership development.  Our K-12 Food Rescue Program in 700 schools addresses the estimated 1 billion Unwanted, Unpeeled, and Unwrapped food items wasted annually in America, and simultaneously engages students to lead us out of the mess. We are actively seeking student leaders to become the face of the school food waste issue, and subsequently lead our country into a new mindset.  #FoodIsNotTrash

John Williamson
Founder and Executive Director
​Food Rescue  

Organizations that have started as a result of our mentoring are listed below:
2019

School Food Recovery Elaine Fiore  Inspired by Food Rescue in Broward County FL
https://www.schoolfoodrecovery.org/

2017
Food Rescue of CT: Jennifer Janus was inspired by Food Rescue in CT

Wabash Valley Food Rescue: Allison Finzel was inspired by Food Rescue in Wabash Valley in Indiana

2014
Athens Food Rescue: Teresa Curtiss Inspired by Food Rescue in Athens, OH
http://www.athensfoodrescue.com/

Table of Grace: Tanis Fox Inspired by Food Rescue in Ellwood City, PA

Wayne County Food Rescue: Guy Guthrie Inspired by Food Rescue in Richmond, IN
http://www.backpackblessing.org/food-rescue.html

2010
The Food Recovery Group Mike Cookman: Inspired by Food Rescue in Charlotte, NC 









2008

2009: Kathi Crothers in Florida was inspired by Food Rescue to serve Local Food Pantries

2009

2009: Barb Lucero in Texas was inspired by Food Rescue to serve her local food pantry.

2011

2011

2012 Food Rescue Receives The Jefferson Award for Community Service

Social Media Flash Mob To Thank Restaurants for Their Donations

52,000 Thank You's to Little Caesars
Vision in Action (VIA) Friends
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OPEN LETTER    |     freetool    |    DONATE 

Our new system has been working for us up here in Alaska. From the first day it was a hit!!!  I was expecting some resistance from teachers who don't care to have food in the classrooms and also problems with garbage on the playground but.....none so far. The high school "hungry boys" love finding the fixings for PB & jelly sandwiches from the K-5 crew. A huge problem, that I cannot fix at this time is the recess timing. It IS after lunch and a LOT of kids will come in and dump their trays just to get outside. Maybe next year.  All in all... it was welcomed as a great idea and the school news crew is going to be doing a section on your program...hopefully before school closes for the summer but if not we will be off to a great start next year. We are out the 27th of this month.  I'm currently working on getting a summer food program started because I know a lot of our kids do not get to eat well at home.  This has only been my 2nd year running the kitchen and I've made MANY changes to our waste problem.  I've been in contact with a member of the Sustainable Southeast group that is working on a partnership with the tribal authority to help run an aquaponics site. Also...UAS in Sitka is doing a study on using recycled cardboard to grow mushrooms!!!!  He is getting me that contact info soon.  I'm soooo excited because mushrooms are seriously my passion!!!  I'm already setting up to grow shiitake and other gourmet (but really medicinal) mushrooms at home using alder that has already been dropped around the island. I'm also going to set up at the school to sell and actually make money with our lunch program. I'm looking forward to working with K-12 Food Rescue your fabulous project and help change the habits of our locals. Please feel free to contact me with any more info you may have or just to check on our progress.
 
Sincerely,

​Tricia Clough
STATE DIRECTOR'S OF STUDENT LEADERSHIP