Food Rescue

Fresh food rescue makes millions of pounds of nourishing produce available every year.

Across Maine, hundreds of hunger relief agencies recover food from local retailers and producers, totaling several million pounds of food every year. Five mornings a week, our rescue team heads out to nearby supermarkets to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, meat, and dairy and deli items. Back at the warehouse, we check each item, compost what is no longer edible, and box or bag the rest to share with kids and families.

Food waste accounts for up to 10 percent of greenhouse gases and is a significant contributor to climate change. When food is wasted, all the resources that went into producing it, including water and energy, are wasted, too. Reducing food waste makes more nutritious food available for hungry people and protects our planet.

Since we began our fresh food rescue program, we’ve recovered more than 1.3 million pounds of food!