Haley Schulman writes:
Ever wonder what grocery stores and restaurants do with all the food they don’t use? Over 360 Westporters discovered that without Food Rescue US, this excess food goes to waste.
These 361 residents have registered as volunteer food rescuers with Food Rescue US. They use their own vehicles to pick up food that would otherwise be thrown away, but is still perfectly edible and delicious. Some grocery stores have up to 700 pounds of excess fresh fruits and veggies to donate.
Food Rescue volunteers then deliver it to nearby social service agencies that feed the food insecure.
These neighbors donate their time, gas and energy to reduce food waste and fight hunger. Without these unsung heroes, these Food Rescue US volunteers, this food would go to waste.
Kuku Fleming rescues food, for those in need.
There are many ways to help.
Some people (called “adopters”) commit to weekly rescues. They build relationships on behalf of Food Rescue US with the food donors and social service agencies. Westport adopters include Sydney Hunter, Anna Caiati, Lavinia Larsson, Dixxon Sherer, George Jamison and Stan Schulman.
The Westport Farmers Market rescue crew — including Alison Robins, Susie and Daryle Kowalsky, and Jen Seideman — collects surplus food donations every week. They have become part of the fabric of the market.
The Westport chapter of the National Charity League has committed to 4 rescues a week for years, and does them diligently.
Christie and Molly Belknap are a mother/daughter rescue team. They pick up a Friday afternoon rescue from Staples High School, then brave I-95 traffic to deliver it to Homes for the Brave in Bridgeport.
US Food Rescuers Haley Schulman and Katie Augustyn.
Our schedule relies on both adopters, and volunteers who come to the “rescue” sporadically or at the last minute.
Thank you to these volunteers for responding to urgent calls for help: Adrian Little, Andrew Coleman, Cindy Hartog, Pippa Bell Adler, Maja Sholler, John Englehart, Deb Slocum, Roni Golberg and Robert Augustyn.
Some volunteers. like Susan Arrow. handle special administrative projects for the organization. Susan also drives to Greenwich on Monday evenings to do her favorite rescue.
Folks who think of Food Rescue US in their daily lives are particularly important. For example, volunteer Katie Augustyn suggested this Unsung Heroes post. Amy Unikewicz, Bobbi Essagoff and Liz Reuven have made great connections for Food Rescue US within the community.
Volunteers are the backbone of Food Rescue US. The organization could not have provided over 3.9 million meals to those in need. or diverted more than 4.7 million pounds of food from the waste stream without each volunteer food rescuer.
(For more information on Food Rescue US – Fairfield County — including how to volunteer — click here. To nominate an Unsung Hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com)
(“Unsung Heroes” is a weekly feature of “06880.” To support this — and everything else we do — please click here. Thank you!)
This is wonderful!