This story first appeared in the Fall 2023 edition of our “Peas & Carrots” newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here.

For 25 years, rescued food has fueled all of Second Helpings’ programs. At the core of our mission is the desire to reduce waste. Instead of letting quality food be sent to a local landfill, it’s used to fight hunger and create opportunities in our community.

This program – and all of our work together – wouldn’t be possible without the many food donors who share their product with us. That shared commitment to preventing food waste has connected Second Helpings with partners across the culinary industry.

One of those longtime partners is Kroger, who, since 2004, has donated more than 2.5 million pounds of food to Second Helpings. Currently, 18 Kroger stores are scheduled for weekly pickups. Kroger has also been a generous financial donor as well, both serving as the presenting sponsor for our annual Corks & Forks event and providing a matching gift opportunity for the Gr8 Pasta Push.

Second Helpings also rescues an incredible amount of food from large-scale distributors like Sysco and US Foods – more than 4 million and 10 million pounds, respectively. Both companies have partnered with Second Helpings since 1999 and continue to provide bulk food items that we couldn’t afford to purchase anywhere else.

Our approach is unique in that we can also rescue prepared food to use in our operations. Donors like JW Marriott and the 502 East Event Center make it possible for Second Helpings to provide variety in the meals we send to our partners, and for the ability to stretch our donated ingredients and volunteer power even further. JW Marriott, who has donated nearly 150,000 pounds of food since 2011, is also a frequent employer of Culinary Job Training graduates.

From this wide range of partners across the industry, Second Helpings has rescued more than 47 million pounds of food since our founding in April 1998, and we continue to rescue more than 3 million pounds each year. Together, these partnerships create less waste, and instead, that food is put to work in the fight against hunger.