We Interviewed 3 Food Rescue Organisations, And Here's What We Found
When it comes to addressing the critical issues of food waste and food insecurity, non-profit organisations play a vital role in making a positive impact on our communities. To gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and successes in this space, we had the privilege of speaking with three remarkable leaders from different food rescue organisations on our very own podcast.
In this blog, we'll share our insights from interviews with Matt Donovan of Food for Change, Matt Jozwiak of Rethink Food, and Steve Clifford of SecondBite. Together, they shed light on the multifaceted world of food rescue and how non-profits are making a difference.
1. A Unified Mission: Fighting Food Waste and Hunger
Across the board, these non-profit organisations share a common mission: to combat food waste and alleviate hunger in their respective regions. Matt Donovan, the founder and CEO of Food for Change, spoke passionately about their commitment to helping hungry Australians. They focus on growing food on unused farmland and rescuing surplus food through their partnership with the IGA network. All the food they gather is distributed free of charge to those in need.
“We rescue food through, the IGA network, we have a partnership with them and we support other charities with food boxes and parcels. Um, and basically everything we grow and rescue and provide to the organisations goes out free of charge to feed hungry Australians.” - Matt Donovan
Matt Jozwiak, the founder and CEO of Rethink Food, echoed this sentiment. Rethink Food is dedicated to rescuing surplus food from restaurants and caterers in New York City (and now a number of other major US cities). They've already saved over 2 million pounds of food, which is then transformed into nutritious meals for communities facing food insecurity. Their mission revolves around rethinking food's value and ensuring it reaches those who need it most.
“What we do is, our mission is to create a more sustainable and equitable food system. So we do that two ways. One, we use excess food to make meals for local community centres.And then two, we give out grants to small businesses owned by women and people of colour To make meals for their local community centres” - Matt Jozwiak
Steve Clifford, the CEO of SecondBite, shared a similar commitment. SecondBite has distributed over 60 million meals across Australia, focusing on redistributing surplus food from supermarkets, farmers, and other suppliers. These organisations showcase the significant impact non-profits can have in reducing food waste and addressing hunger within their communities.
“We rescue and redistribute more free food than any other food rescue organisation in the country.” - Steve Clifford
2. Collaborative Efforts: The Power of Partnerships
Collaboration is the name of the game when it comes to successful food rescue efforts. All three organisations emphasised the importance of working closely with partners in the food industry to achieve their goals.Matt Jozwiak mentions in his interview that Rethink Food tends to collaborate with not just your average restaurants and caterers but New York institutions like Eleven Madison Park, Keens Steakhouse, and Manna’s Soul Food, ensuring that surplus food from these establishments doesn't go to waste. They've developed innovative solutions to transform excess food into nourishing meals, showcasing the potential for collaboration within the restaurant industry to combat food waste.
“Rethink's done a lot of really incredible things, I'm really proud of what the team has done. But I think one of the best things our organisation kind of accidentally did was, you know, we take food from Eleven Madison Park, we take food from big institutions. Like, you know, Eleven Madison Park has been one of the best food donors we've had, they've been with us since day one.” - Matt Jozwiak”
SecondBite, on the other hand, partners with supermarkets and food suppliers, harnessing their distribution networks to reach communities across Australia. This partnership approach allows for a more efficient flow of rescued food from the source to those in need.“
We have a community connect model which matches up agencies with food donors directly. So, you know, a local Coles store, for example, might have a local agency that provides food to the local community.” - Steve Clifford
Food for Change's partnership with the larger industry networks exemplifies how organisations can work closely with major retailers to ensure that fresh, nutritious food reaches those who would otherwise go hungry. These collaborative efforts underscore the non-profit sector's ability to unite diverse partners towards a common goal.
“We partner with larger organisations like SecondBite. When we have like a huge crop, we might have a couple of ton of carrots. Then they'll distribute that to a wider area for us. Um, definitely making sure all the food that we rescue goes to local organisations. It doesn't go out to warehouses and out across to areas, it stays inside of those local communities.” - Matt Donovan
3. Challenges and Sustainability: The Funding Conundrum
Non-profit organisations engaged in food rescue face several challenges, with funding consistently being a top concern. Matt Donovan emphasised that fundraising is an ongoing effort, and some grant funding has restrictions on how it can be used. Ensuring financial sustainability while maintaining the core mission of providing free food to those in need requires innovative solutions.
“I mean, it seems silly, but you know, paying insurance bill, if we get a great grant from the government to, you know, help with food rescue or growing food, we can't use it to pay our insurance. So it's sort of that fundraising side of it is definitely the critical aspect.” - Matt Donovan
Food for Change tackles this challenge head-on by selling food boxes to raise funds. Redirecting excess funding into purchasing additional boxes and distributing them directly to people who need them ensures a consistent revenue stream while serving the community.
Likewise, Rethink Food seeks sustainable solutions by working with corporate partners and donors to secure the resources needed to continue their vital work. By exploring multiple avenues for funding, these organisations can maintain their operations and fulfil their missions.
“We have, Patchwork that we partner with in Nashville, and they fundraise on their own, and we help a little bit, and Sean Brock helps a little bit, we all put it together. You know, so we're really just trying to like build the spirit of hospitality entering into the nonprofit world.” - Matt Jozwiak
4. Awareness and Perception: Changing Hearts and Minds
Both Food for Change and Rethink Food highlighted the importance of raising awareness about food insecurity and food waste. Matt Donovan stressed the shockingly high number of Australians seeking food relief and the staggering statistics surrounding food insecurity. Matt Jozwiak emphasised the need to shift perceptions surrounding food surpluses and their value.
“In New York, it's like one in six face food insecurity… I'm sure, you know, 99% of people find themselves at one point in their life really finding it challenging to pay for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. So with that being said, it's a sizeable amount of the population. And it really has to do more with wealth and equality than any other kind of external features.” - Matt Jozwiak
“This year alone, we'll probably see about 3 million people seek food relief. Up to a hundred thousand people each month actually get turned away. So you hear all about these amazing organisations that are feeding people. Um, but they actually run out of food and, and turn away over a hundred thousand people a month.And one-third of them are children. So, where previously I'd just kind of lumped hunger into homelessness. I was really, really shocked at that.” - Matt Donovan
Public awareness and understanding of these issues are essential for garnering support and driving change within the food rescue and non-profit spaces. By sharing their stories and the stories of those they serve, these organisations aim to inspire empathy and action within their communities.
“Take account of the people in Australia; be a bit empathetic towards the people in Australia who are in that food insecure group. It's extraordinary to me that, you know, one in six Australians probably approaching one in five, um, aren't guaranteed a good meal every day.” - Steve Clifford
Summary
To conclude, we have learned a lot from these incredible leaders of these food rescue non-profits about the remarkable work being done in the non-profit and food rescue sectors. These organisations exemplify the power of collaboration, the importance of sustainable funding models, and the need for greater awareness about food waste and hunger.
By working together with their communities, they are significantly impacting the lives of those in need and creating a more sustainable future for all.