As the ongoing federal government shutdown results in a pause on SNAP benefits starting Nov. 1, some 160,000 residents of Allegheny County and 26,000 of Washington County are approaching a food security cliff. Fortunately, a homegrown safety net is waiting, thanks to local organizations like 412 Food Rescue, which works with an extensive network of partners to bring nutritious food to thousands in the region.

Founded in 2015, 412 Food Rescue maximizes the food system by connecting surplus food to local communities. Their connections are built through potent neighborhood partnerships with local nonprofits that serve community members experiencing food insecurity. With the participation of 450+ local “food rescue heroes” each year, it has grown to be the largest volunteer food rescue organization in the country, and its Food Rescue Hero platform is used by 23 partners serving over 60 North American counties.

Built to adapt quickly to emergencies, 412 Food Rescue’s network was put to the test in the spring of 2020, when the Covid shutdown disrupted traditional channels of food access and aid, as well as isolating vulnerable residents. Faced with uncertainty, hundreds of Pittsburghers turned to the organization’s Food Rescue Hero app as a tool to help their neighbors. The 412 Food Rescue team was able to channel this surge of volunteers to keep food distribution flowing — and reach isolated residents through creative solutions like bringing food to bus stops for families of students no longer receiving meals at school.

As another crisis threatens food security in the region, the organization is coordinating with nonprofit partners once again to fill the gaps in federal assistance. Additionally, they suggest accessing these resources:

Need food right away?

Call the United Way Resource hotline: 211 or visit https://www.pa211.org/
In Washington County: call the county’s resource hotline: (724) 228-1234

Want to help?

Become a Food Rescue Hero by downloading the app, and help transport food from local businesses with surplus to nonprofits that serve people facing food insecurity. You can volunteer as much or as little as you’d like: claim a weekly rescue to volunteer every week at the same place, same time; or claim a one-time rescue that needs to be transported right away. Most rescues take under an hour, and every delivery puts food on the tables of your neighbors. Don’t have the capacity to do rescues? Donations also make a big difference.

Want to contribute food from your business?

Do you operate a restaurant, grocery store, or venue that sometimes has to throw away perfectly good food because it wasn’t sold or eaten in time? Consider becoming a food donor, and let 412 Food Rescue take it off your hands to nourish the city — for free! Dispatchers coordinate rescues that work with your schedule, including on-demand pickups

“We work to bridge the distance not only between surplus food and hunger relief networks but also between people seeking to build stronger community with each other,” says 412 Food Rescue CEO Alyssa Cholodofsky. “Now more than ever, those connections are vital. Whether you’re contributing surplus food, a donation, or your time, you are our heroes. Together, we can overcome anything.”