About 30-40% of the food supply in the U.S. goes to waste due to labling laws, store surplus, and transport logistics. Starting the first Food Rescue US site in the state of Illinois was a response to rising unemployment, food insecurity, and food dumping due to lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By building partnerships and encouraging national and local retailers to donate useable surplus food and self-care products, I worked with amazing local volunteers to direct donations to existing community agencies that then distributed or transformed food for their communities. In one year of countless pick ups, pop-up food distributions sites, and around the clock communication, together we rescued about 200,000 lbs (90.700 kg) of food from ending up in landfills.

The site still lives on and has expanded to encompass the Chicagoland area under its new Site Director. Food Rescue US as a national organization continues to educated about food waste and fight food insecurity.

IG: @foodrescueuswillowbrook @foodrescueus