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Food Rescue Hero

Network

The Food Rescue Hero Network is a collective of food rescue organizations and allied organizations with a shared mission to scale food recovery—to measurably reduce food waste, food insecurity and impact climate change.

We collaborate, advocate, share and learn with the spirit and belief that we create stronger impact and stronger communities by working together.

Food Rescue Hero Partner Network

We partner with food rescue and hunger relief non-profits who have the vision and drive to grow and sustain a food rescue operation. Successful partners engage with community stakeholders, organize grassroots efforts and share a passion for acting locally and together, create global impact.

This network creates collective impact coordinated by Food Rescue Hero platform. We aim to support the work of organizations in 100 cities by 2030.

412 Food Rescue (Pittsburgh, PA)
Philly Food Rescue (Philadelphia, PA)
Hunger Network (Cleveland, OH)
Northern Virginia Food Rescue (VA)
Food Finders (Los Angeles, CA)
Haven’s Harvest (New Haven, CT)
Vancouver Food Runners (Vancouver, B.C.)
Last Mile Food Rescue (Cincinnati, OH)
Table to Table (Northern NJ)
White Pony Express (Contra Costa, CA)
530 Food Rescue (Butte County, CA)
Supply Hive (Des Moines, IA)
Lake Erie Food Rescue (Erie, PA)
302 Food Rescue (DE)
Lakeshore Food Rescue (Holland, MI)
Kentucky Harvest (Louisville, KY)
We Don’t Waste (Denver & Boulder, CO)

Learn more about our partners.

Today, our Food Rescue Hero Network measurably saves fresh nutritious food from going to waste in:

Delaware

2023

Pittsburgh, PA

2016

Butte County, CA

2021

Los Angeles, CA

2020

New Haven, CT

2020

Cleveland, OH

2018

Louisville, KY

2023

Erie, PA

2022

Holland, MI

2023

Cincinnati, OH

2020

Northern Virginia

2023

Philadelphia, PA

2018

Des Moines, IA

2023

Bergen, NJ

2021

Vancouver, Canada

2020

Denver & Boulder, CO

2024

Contra Costa, CA

2022

Strategic Partnerships

We partner with leaders in food and food recovery to advance our shared mission.

Food Donation Connection

Founded in 1992, Food Donation Connection is a world-leader in food recovery. Working with global brands such as Whole Foods, Pizza Hut, and more, FDC has redirected 1 BILLION pounds of food from going to landfill. The FDC network spans 14,000 food retailers and 10,000 charity organizations globally.

Giant Eagle

Founded in 1918, Giant Eagle is a regional grocery retailer with over 400 retail locations with the brands Giant Eagle, Market District, GetGo and Giant Eagle Express.

Impact

Food Rescue Hero Network-wide Impact Goals by 2030

2.5B+

pounds of food distributed

20M+

number of rescues

2.1B+

equivalent meals

626M+

retail value

375K+

food rescue heroes

65K+

donor partners

64K+

nonprofit partners

1.3B+

pounds of CO2 emissions mitigated

"It is gratifying to know that the food I pick up and deliver will get to those in need within hours or minutes of my rescue."

RobertHunger Network Food Rescue

Our Impact on Food Insecurity

We focus on measuring our work’s impact on food insecurity. Our originating partner, 412 Food Rescue, has worked with the University of Pittsburgh to conduct extensive research on end-user impact using the USDA Food Insecurity Survey as rubric.

We use ESRI’s GIS platform to assess our impact on food access as we change food distribution models. Mobility and time barriers are not typically considered in the design of food access models—making food available is not enough as populations experiencing poverty and food insecurity face obstacles in transport access, child care and control of their time, making it difficult to get to traditional food banks or pantries.

Our technology enables a model of retail food recovery and redistribution—including home delivery—that radically changes food access, enabling more people in poverty to access like never before.

End User Research

Question:

Does food rescue work?

Third-party research from Dr. Catherine Greeno from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work, modeled after the USDA Food Insecurity survey shows that we improve food security in 88% of the population we reach.

Food Access: Looking at Poverty, Food Deserts and Transit Deserts

Using GIS to identify high need, food insecure communities and resource access in Allegheny County.

Our approach to food distribution is grounded in an understanding that the last mile is key to ensuring access. We change food access logistics models by breaking norms on where food should be available. In this process, we reach an unprecedented number of people in poverty.