Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | 412 Food Rescue mobilizes volunteers to distribute surplus food

[Photo: Darrell Sapp/Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette]

The mission to eliminate waste may be impossible, but a pool of 1,500 volunteers ensures that someone is always available to make a run for the fastest possible hand-off.

By Diana Nelson Jones, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Patty Lemer had some spare time one day recently, so she sent a message to 412 Food Rescue that she was available for a run. She was directed to the Giant Eagle in Moon. “Artichokes, apples, four colors of peppers,” she said, describing some of the produce in nine boxes — all perfectly edible but either not pretty enough to sell or too close to the “sell by” date.