Every day in Central Indiana, hundreds of thousands of pounds of good food are at risk of being wasted. Grocery stores, wholesalers, restaurants, and caterers often have surplus food, all perfectly safe, fresh, and nutritious, that they can no longer sell. Without intervention, most of it would end up in landfills.

That’s where Second Helpings’ Food Rescue program comes in. Our fleet of trucks travels across the city each day to collect this food before it’s lost. Think fresh produce, dairy, prepared entrees, baked goods, and pantry staples. Everything is still safe, high-quality, and ready to be enjoyed.

Once it arrives at Second Helpings, our staff and volunteers get to work. Food is sorted, prepped, and transformed into thousands of healthy meals each week for children, families, and seniors served through our nonprofit partner agencies.

And here’s the best part: if there are items we can’t use in our kitchen, we don’t let them go to waste. We redirect surplus items to local food pantries and partner organizations, ensuring every bit of rescued and donated food finds a home.

When food ends up in a landfill, it doesn’t just disappear, it actually breaks down and produces methane which is a greenhouse gas more than 25 times as harmful as carbon dioxide. In fact, wasted food is one of the largest contributors to climate change. Second Helpings prevents nutritious food from ending up in the landfill and helps protect our environment.

Food rescue is more than just logistics, it’s about turning what could be waste into nourishment, opportunity, and hope. Thanks to your support, we’re fighting waste, hunger and protecting the planet at the same time. For more information on Food Rescue, contact Jon Meinert at jon@secondhelpings.org