Whole Foods’ Third Annual ‘Stuff the Van’ Event

This week, 412 Food Rescue and Whole Foods came together once again for the third annual “Stuff the Van” event! Whole Foods, as part of their Nourishing Our Neighbors program, loaded up our refrigerated Dodge ProMaster van–donated by Whole Foods in 2021–with an incredible 1,102 pounds of groceries at their East Liberty location.

This year’s donation included a variety of essential items: shelf-stable foods like oats, rice, and canned goods, alongside fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables. All of these will directly benefit the Good Food Project, where the food will be split between 412 Food Rescue’s zero-waste kitchen and grocery bagging program.

The kitchen, which was in need of back stock of pantry staples, will use the ingredients to prepare hundreds of meals in the coming months, ensuring that no food goes to waste and creating nutritious meals made available to those who need them most.

The grocery bags prepared with this donation will help us continue our commitment to bringing fresh, healthy food to our community.

Alyssa Cholodofsky and Alexa Waugh prepare meals at the Good Food Project in Millvale.

These meals and grocery bags are set to be distributed to multiple Pittsburgh Housing Authority sites, providing critical support to families who rely on our services.

This year’s event was extra special for the Whole Foods team, as many of them had recently volunteered at our Good Food Project.

Seeing their contribution come full circle–both through their hands-on efforts and this generous food donation–was a meaningful way to further the impact they’re making in the Pittsburgh community.

A huge thank you to Whole Foods for their ongoing partnership and generosity, and to everyone involved in making this year’s “Stuff the Van” event a big success! Together, we’re continuing to nourish our neighbors and fight food insecurity in the region.