Waste Not Rescues Food to Feed People in Need

Phoenix AZ

23 February, 2021

1:44 PM

Description

Waste Not, an area nonprofit that champions hunger relief and environmental sustainability efforts across the Phoenix region, has been named a "Recycler of the Year" by the Arizona Recycling Coalition. The award recognizes Waste Not as an organization demonstrating high levels of dedication, professional leadership, and successful implementation in waste reduction through reduce, reuse, and recycling activities. "The Arizona Recycling Coalition is honored to award Waste Not its 2021 Recycler of the Year award for their continuing efforts to divert food often headed to landfills and put that food to a higher purpose instead, feeding people!" notes Dylan Lenzen, Arizona Recycling Coalition (AzRC) Board Chair. "The collaborations they put together to effectively move food from restaurants, caterers and more is a great example of how we all are able to have a positive impact on the waste we create and instead turn it into resources for our communities." Waste Not works with more than 120 valley restaurants, grocers, caterers, and event venues to capture food that would otherwise be wasted and provides it to 80 nonprofit partners who serve the hungry in the Phoenix area. This past year, Waste Not successfully diverted 1,434 tons of food from going to landfills, with the added benefit of providing 2.9 million nutritious meals to people in need of food assistance. "We are thrilled to have the environmental aspect of our mission recognized," says Kate Thoene, Waste Not executive director. "Food waste is the single largest component going into local landfills." Food waste goes far beyond a half-eaten apple thrown in the trash. It is fresh, edible food sent to landfills by farms, manufacturers, grocers, restaurants, and homes as a result of overproduction, transportation limitations, confusion about freshness and expiration labels, and failure to meet produce "cosmetic" standards. "While nearly 1 million Arizonans struggle with food insecurity – not knowing where their next meal is coming from – 40 percent of our nation's food ends up in landfills," states Waste Not Board Member Jennifer Wargo of Waste Management. "Waste Not is reimagining what's possible for food rescue – capturing perishable food and connecting it to those in need in a sustainable food system that helps people and our planet." Anyone can participate in this sustainable effort. If you are a food business with excess perishable food, you don't need to throw it away! Waste Not can get your excess food to people in need. If you can contribute financially, each tax-deductible $1 donated to Waste Not, provides five nutritious meals. Visit www.wastenotaz.org to learn more. About Waste Not: Waste Not is an Arizona nonprofit dedicated to creating sustainable food systems that help people and the planet flourish. For over 30 years, Waste Not has been reimagining and reinventing the food rescue process in Arizona. Each year, 40% of food is thrown away, and at the same time, nearly 1 million people in Arizona are struggling with food insecurity. We're transforming this broken system by connecting tens of thousands of Arizonans with quality food that would have otherwise gone to waste. Our team of professional drivers and food rescue volunteers collect fresh food from local food businesses such as catering companies, resorts and event venues, and deliver that food same day to nonprofits who provide critical community services, such as housing and employment assistance. Last year, Waste Not rescued nearly 2 million pounds of food. By reimagining what's possible for food rescue, we're making our community and our planet healthier.