Improving Efficiency and Promoting Electrification:

At Second Helpings hunger relief and food rescue is how we are known to make a sustainable impact on the environment. In a time when it is most important, we strive to build our internal operations to make a similar change to encourage sustainable behavior.  

One way we are achieving this is by replacing end-of-life equipment that emits harmful greenhouse gasses with an electrical equivalent that is much more environmentally friendly. Cooking with electric appliances not only reduces the number of pollutants and participles released, but it also causes the heating and cooking process to be more efficient than their gas counterparts (Source: Penn Environment)

  • In our Hunger Relief Kitchen, we have replaced the back line for all 4 of our tilt skillets as well as 2 of them being fully electric  
  • In 2025, our transportation fleet added an electric cargo van. 
  • Alongside that achievement comes with Second Helpings joining the AES Fleet Solutions Program which provides and support system for businesses all over the United States to build an all-electric or hybrid fleet to lower the cost of gas-powered vehicles and lower their total emissions.  
  • Through this program we have installed 4 electric vehicle chargers at our main facility for all staff or volunteers with electric vehicles.  
  • Our Hub opened a second warehouse, so we opted to replace a propane forklift with 2 new electrical forklifts.   
  • Second Helpings was selected for the first cohort of Thriving Nonprofits. This initiative includes a free energy assessment as well as a grant of up to $10,000 to help facilitate building upgrades that reduce energy usage and monthly utility bills.  
  • Thanks to this grant, all our lighting has been switched to LED bulbs and have added light sensors that will automatically turn off lights that are not in use.  
  • Any problematic Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units have been replaced with energy efficient models. For all the HVAC units in the facility, smart thermostats have been added to ensure the optimization of energy use within these systems.  
  • We have replaced two antiquated food warmers with proficient energy saving models that help our Hunger Relief Kitchen keep up with our larger than ever meal production.  

Things to look forward to:  

Make UP Air units in our Hunger Relief Kitchen and our Culinary Job Training spaces are being replaced. This will provide tempered air for the cooking exhaust systems. This air is supplemental for what the exhaust hood uses from the conditioned air provided by our HVAC systems to help keep temperatures safe and comfortable for staff and volunteers. This also greatly reduces strain on our newly re-vamped HVAC systems. The units being installed are 20 years newer than our existing units will be up to the most current, accessible energy efficiency standard.  

Second Helpings is a constantly evolving company that strives to improve and optimize our operations in a sustainable way. 28 years later we are more efficient than ever and will continue this motivation.

There is additional work scheduled for the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that will increase efficiency and energy savings by adding automation and scheduling. This will allow for the system to be shut down when the facility is not in use. HVAC upgrades and automation are expected to be completed by Fall 2025.

Recently, we have been selected for the first cohort of Thriving Nonprofits, an initiative that includes a free energy assessment and matching grants of up to $10,000 to facilitate building upgrades that reduce energy usage and monthly utility bills.

We are constantly working on making our operations more efficient and sustainable and our progress so far is just the start!