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 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.
Today, our Food Rescue Hero Network measurably saves fresh nutritious food from going to waste in:
2023
2016
2021
2024
2025
2024
2020
2020
2018
2023
2022
2023
2020
2024
2023
2025
2018
2023
2021
2020
2024
2022
We partner with leaders in food and food recovery to advance our shared mission.
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.
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.
pounds of food distributed
number of rescues
equivalent meals
retail value
food rescue heroes
donor partners
nonprofit partners
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
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.
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.
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.
