FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Leah Lizarondo
CEO
info@412FoodRescue.org
347-495-7495
“412 Food Rescue Collaboration Receives $20,000 from Sysco”
Community Kitchen Project Set to Launch in Millvale this Spring
Pittsburgh, PA (2/22/19) – On Tuesday, Sysco Pittsburgh presented a check for $20,000 to 412 Food Rescue, the Pittsburgh-based food rescue organization committed to eliminating food waste and food insecurity.
The Millvale Kitchen will be located in the former Millvale Moose Lodge and is a food hub style collaboration between 412 Food Rescue, New Sun Rising and Sprezzatura Cafe. The Millvale Kitchen will accomplish several aspects of Pittsburgh-based 412 Food Rescue’s mission to reduce food waste and mitigate hunger.
As the world’s largest food distributor, Sysco knows about feeding people – and not just in restaurants,” said Jim Mitchell, President, Sysco Pittsburgh. “When it comes to giving back in our communities, it just makes sense for Sysco to focus on what we do best. We are proud to partner with the 412 Food Rescue organization to help fight hunger in the Western Pennsylvania area.”
Nourishing Neighbors is a new endeavor that directs Sysco’s charitable donations primarily to agencies working to get healthy and nutritious food where it’s needed. With Nourishing Neighbors, Sysco’s U.S. broadline companies commit a portion of Sysco Brand local sales to partner with local organizations in the fight against hunger. Sysco’s goal is to position 75% of charitable giving and volunteerism in the hunger and feeding space.
Centered around volunteer and community engagement, the kitchen will allow 412 Food Rescue to stabilize highly perishable, surplus food and will be a site for experimentation and learning, as well as space to create value-added products that financially benefit 412 Food Rescue.
“We are excited to launch this Spring and thankful to Sysco for this generous donation and our partners, New Sun Rising and Sprezzatura Café,” said Leah Lizarondo, 412 Food Rescue CEO.
412 Food Rescue has made national headlines for their app, Food Rescue Hero which gives individuals the opportunity to make a difference by picking up local donated surplus food from a restaurant or grocery store, and delivering it to nonprofits who distribute the food to people at risk for food insecurity.
“With over 10,000 volunteers who have downloaded the app, we are known for our efficient, simple food rescue process,” said Lizarondo. “We also want to share with the community our other efforts in food rescue, feeding hungry people and waste reduction.”
While one in seven people in the U.S. is going hungry, 40 percent of the food produced here is ending up in landfills. Recognizing this long-prevailing paradox, the USDA, EPA and UN have identified the issue of food waste as a top priority. Thanks to the innovative app from 412 Food Rescue, described by national media as the “Uber for food rescue,” anyone with a smartphone and a little free time can be part of the solution. Since their inception in 2015, 412 Food Rescue and its volunteers throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania have rescued over 5 million pounds of food that would have otherwise gone to landfills.
The app is free and available in the iTunes App Store and on Google Play.
High resolution photos are available here
About 412 Food Rescue
412 Food Rescue launched in March 2015 to address the disconnect between the fact that 40 percent of food produced in the United States is wasted while one in seven go hungry. 412 Food Rescue’s unique approach takes the problem through the lens of an urban food system, impacting waste at each stage of the food supply value chain. Utilizing technology to solve the logistics challenge of retail food recovery, 412 Food Rescue is the only organization in Allegheny County that focuses on food that would otherwise be discarded, impacting not only hunger but also the environment. 412 Food Rescue’s goal is to introduce innovative solutions to eradicate food waste in the region and expand its model to cities around the country. To date, 412 Food Rescue has redirected over 5 million pounds of perfectly good food from going to landfills. The organization works with over 550 food retailers, 600 nonprofit partners and over 10,000 volunteer drivers, our Food Rescue Heroes.
About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With over 65,000 associates, the company operates approximately 300 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 500,000 customer locations. For fiscal 2017 that ended July 1, 2017, the company generated sales of more than $55 billion.
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