Volunteer Rachel Moore
A non-profit founded during the pandemic has reached a new milestone. Last Mile Food Rescue has rescued half a million pounds of food in Greater Cincinnati after six months in operation.
The program launched in October 2020 with the goal of keeping good food from going to waste by delivering it to local social service agencies serving the food insecure in Cincinnati. Local grocery stores and markets donate their excess produce and dry goods and Last Mile volunteers deliver it to local soup kitchens and homeless shelters.
Joining
Cincinnati Edition to discuss the operation is Last Mile Food Rescue Co-founder and Executive Director Julie Shifman.
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Volunteer drivers use an Uber-like app to find grocery stores, restaurants and convenience stores with food to donate. Rather than it going to the dump when it s still good, fresh and healthy, we ll redirect it and bring it to food pantries, soup kitchens, those kinds of places, said Chief Operating Officer Eileen Budo. And their customers are wanting the food right away. So, the shorter shelf life matches up with the type of food location that we re bringing the food to.
About 250 people actively volunteer for deliveries. Budo says there s lots of room to grow. We keep getting more calls of different food purveyors that have food that s available, so we need new rescue volunteers all the time. We re growing like crazy, Budo said. We probably rescue from about four or five different Krogers in Cincinnati, but there are total a 70 that are in our realm of possibility. And that s a rescue every day, six days a week.
Last Mile Food Rescue reduces food insecurity in Greater Cincinnati, one trunk load at a time It s almost like an Uber for food pickup
Last Mile Food Rescue is a new nonprofit thatâs working to fight hunger by transporting fresh food from donor companies and restaurants to the people and organizations that need it most.
and last updated 2021-03-05 18:38:23-05
CINCINNATI â Every Wednesday, Anthony Kahny does his part to fight food insecurity in Greater Cincinnati.
He backs up his company truck to a loading dock at Castellini Company in Wilder and loads it with cases of excess fruits and vegetables, then drives it all to a Talbert House location in Corryville.