This Hunger Action Month, volunteers across the country are celebrating a milestone they could only have achieved together: 250+ million pounds of good food rescued, one carload at a time. These 18,000 teachers, artists, small business owners, stay-at-home parents, service workers, retirees, students, and more are all users of the Food Rescue Hero app, which empowers regular people to prevent surplus food from going to waste by transporting it to people who need it.

In the United States, as much as 40% of the food we produce goes to waste — contributing substantially to greenhouse gas emissions along the way — while one in seven people goes hungry. Launched in Pittsburgh in 2016, Food Rescue Hero tackles these interconnected challenges by reimagining ridesharing-style technology as a tool for a mass movement. Its “DoorDash for good” approach has mobilized the world’s largest network of on-demand volunteer food rescue drivers.

The platform is used by 22 partner organizations in the U.S. and Canada, serving over 60 counties. Its volunteers rescue an average of 82 meals per minute, ferrying donations of fresh, perishable food from grocery stores, restaurants, and other businesses to access points such as community centers, churches, veterans programs, public housing complexes, and single-family homes. Their efforts have not only increased food and nutrition security in their communities but also mitigated a combined total of 450 million pounds of CO2 emissions.

“We were founded on the principle that people are wired for good,” says Food Rescue Hero CEO Alyssa Cholodofsky, “and our Food Rescue Hero community has validated that belief many times over.”

She adds, “Ours is a story of regular people helping each other and working together to take on some of the biggest challenges facing our world. Two hundred and fifty million pounds is just the beginning.”

Food Rescue Hero is the creation of Pittsburgh’s 412 Food Rescue, the largest volunteer food rescue organization in the U.S., which is celebrating its 10th anniversary year. On Saturday, September 13, the nonprofit toasts a decade of service, sustenance and community with Rooted, an unforgettable culinary experience featuring dishes crafted by local chefs and inspired by rescued and sustainable ingredients.