Q: How did you get started with Food Rescue US?

Kate: I first became acquainted with Food Rescue US back in 2012 when I lived in Stamford, Connecticut, and it was still called Community Plates.  I became a volunteer for them when I learned about this easy way to self-schedule my volunteer hours. And I loved it. When I moved back to DC, I thought, ‘Well, let me go cover some food rescues because that’s a great way to reacquaint myself with this community.’

I was astonished to discover that there was no such program rescuing food in DC at the time. So I decided to bring Food Rescue US to the nation’s capital. It started off slowly, as things often do, but over almost nine years, we’ve grown to the point where we’ve rescued around 15 million pounds of food since October 2016.

Q: Tell us about the Food Rescue US – DC site

Kate: Every site is unique, and I give great credit to the site directors who know their audience and know what works for their program. Here in Washington DC one of the things we do, which is unique, is rescue a lot of corporate cafeteria food – prepared food. We are nimble because we use our own cars, trucks, vans, and sometimes bikes. This allows us to pick up the food and drop it off at a location that can serve it within 10 minutes or so. I make a point of ensuring that those prepared food rescues have a very short pickup-to-drop-off time. It opened up a whole new world for us, with all the amazing food providers at cafeterias, who are truly grateful that they no longer have to waste food. 

Q: What motivates you to do this work?

Kate: I think the most rewarding thing about being a site director for Food Rescue US is knowing the impact that we have and seeing the difference we make in a community. And hearing from people, our agencies, and our volunteers, who will call and say, ‘I’m so grateful that I just got the opportunity to do what I did.’ And I mean, how do you beat that? And the donors, the agencies, everybody’s grateful. It’s like a triad of people who are happy to be out there getting this work done. So impact is what keeps me going.

As we know, there have been shifts in the economy, as well as in some USDA programs, such as SNAP, among others. The thing about Food Rescue US is that those changes don’t really impact our work other than increasing the need for it. The food that we rescue is food that is available in the DC area. We just need to connect with businesses with surplus food, rescue it, and make sure that instead of going to waste, it goes to people.

Q: What does your typical day look like?

Kate: A typical day starts with checking the app each morning to make sure all rescues are covered—and if they’re not, either Eva, my site coordinator, or I will step in to make sure nothing gets dropped. Beyond that, we are working on development and fundraising efforts. We’ve built strong relationships over the years, and that personal connection is often what leads to funding support. Right now, we’re in the middle of organizing our annual September event, which takes a lot of planning but brings our community together in a meaningful way.

We keep our social media active to raise awareness, celebrate partners and volunteers, and connect with new audiences.

We’re always looking to build new partnerships and onboard new food donors, while nurturing the ones we already have. We also make time to connect with our volunteers, answer their questions, and ensure they feel appreciated.

It’s all about maintaining ongoing communication and ensuring that our volunteers, agencies, and donors feel supported.

What is your advice to people interested in starting a Food Rescue US site in their community?

Kate: If you have one food donor, one soup kitchen or pantry that could accept the food, and a couple of volunteers willing to be the first ones to do food rescue, you’ve got the makings of a program. It starts off slow, and before you know it, the word gets out through a good news piece or word of mouth, especially when people see the impact.

When I started Food Rescue US -DC in 2016, the national operation was smaller. Now, there’s a great onboarding toolkit and strong support from the national team, which makes a big difference.

Are you curious about starting a food rescue program in your own community? 

Click here to learn more!

Note: Food Rescue US – DC is one of our largest sites based on meals served. Site operations vary widely in size by location.

The post 5 Questions for Kate Urbank, Site Director of Food Rescue US – DC appeared first on Food Rescue US.

Download this Op-Ed As a Template

The Challenge

According to ReFED, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing food waste in the United States, a staggering 38 percent of food goes uneaten in our country.  That adds up to 180 billion pounds and $408 billion wasted annually. Simultaneously, over 40 million Americans struggle with food insecurity, unsure of where their next meal will come from. These statistics paint a stark picture of a broken system in dire need of intervention.

Food Recovery As Part of Solution

Enter food recovery—an often-overlooked mechanism with the power to address both food waste and food insecurity simultaneously. Food recovery involves rescuing surplus food that would otherwise be discarded and redistributing it to those in need. It’s a simple concept with profound implications.

At the forefront of this movement is Food Rescue US, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing food insecurity through food rescue. Our organization recognizes that hunger is not a scarcity issue but a distribution problem, and we are tackling it head-on by mobilizing volunteers to rescue surplus food and deliver it to local agencies serving those in need.  In 2023, Food Rescue US rescued 38 Million pounds of food across 20 states and the District of Columbia, the equivalent of more than 31 million meals for those in need.

Accessibility and Scalability

What sets food recovery apart is its accessibility and scalability. Volunteering as a food rescuer requires nothing more than time and compassion. Individuals can sign up to be a part of the solution, rescuing food from grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, or catered events and delivering it to food pantries, soup kitchens, or shelters. The impact of volunteers ripples through communities, providing nourishment and hope to those who need it most.

The benefits of food recovery extend far beyond addressing immediate hunger. When food goes to landfill, it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, as it degrades.  Diverting food from landfills reduces greenhouse gas emissions and alleviates the strain on our environment. It also has economic advantages, saving businesses money on disposal costs and generating tax deductions for food donations.

Food recovery also fosters a sense of community and solidarity, bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds, united by a common goal: to ensure no one goes hungry in their community. In a time marked by division and discord, feeding the food insecure transcends barriers and reminds us of our shared humanity.

Underutilized Tool

Despite its immense potential, food recovery as a solution remains underutilized on a national scale. To fully harness food recovery’s power, we must elevate it in our collective consciousness and integrate it into our social and economic systems. This requires collaboration among policymakers, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals (volunteers) to create supportive frameworks and incentives for food recovery initiatives.

We can all play a role in promoting food recovery. Whether we volunteer our time, support food recovery organizations like Food Rescue US, or advocate for policy changes, each of us has the power to make a difference.

The post Food Recovery: A Powerful Solution Combating Food Waste and Food Insecurity appeared first on Food Rescue US.

We are grateful for the commitment and dedication of our food donors, volunteer food rescuers, social service agencies, site directors and their teams, and financial donors. Together, we are making a significant difference.

View our 2022 Impact Report HERE.

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View our 2021 Impact Report HERE.

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View our Impact Report HERE.

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“The pandemic has shined a spotlight on food insecurity, a major crisis in America,” said Carol Shattuck, CEO, Food Rescue US. “This generous donation from Cariati Developers, Inc., will be put to immediate use by our agency partners while ensuring this excess food does not end up as food waste in our landfills.” 

Based in Wallingford, CT, Cariati Developers, Inc., has been on hand to help people recover from national disasters for well over 20 years. In addition to working with FEMA, Cariati Developers are preferred contractors for MEMA (Massachusetts Emergency Management), the State of Virginia (VDOT), the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland (Baltimore), the Connecticut DOT, NYC Sanitation (DSNY), NYC OEM (Office of Emergency Management), and the City of Boston. 

Founded in 2011, Food Rescue US is currently rescuing surplus food in 30 locations throughout the U.S. Using proprietary software, food rescuers sign up to transfer healthy, excess food from food donors to local social service agencies that feed the food insecure.

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