HOW FOOD RESCUE WORKS
Through our Food Rescue Program, Roadrunner® Food Bank is able to save edible food from landfills and place it into the hands of hungry New Mexicans. This is food that grocery stores, food manufacturers, growers, farmers, and wholesalers no longer have a market to sell, but is still healthy and safe to eat. We have been rescuing food since we opened our doors in 1979, and it is an important way we obtain food to distribute to member partners and through our direct service programs located at schools, senior sites, healthcare sites, and other locations.
Our Food Rescue Program
According to the USDA, 30-40 percent of the food in America goes to waste. The food rescue program at Roadrunner Food Bank aims to reduce the amount of food in New Mexico that goes to the landfill while also providing it to our food insecure neighbors in need across the state.
Our food rescue program is the largest in New Mexico and rescues millions of pounds of food each year. Our fleet of box trucks and tractor trailers pick up rescued food from hundreds of locations in Albuquerque and New Mexico weekly. A majority of the food we rescue is unprepared food, meaning the food items are groceries that usually require special handling prior to sending out for distribution. Generous volunteers help our food bank sort, prepare, label, box, and repack rescued food items. Their hard work helps us quickly deliver rescued food to member partners and people who need it most.
The main types of food we rescue are:
- Baked goods
- Meat
- Dairy
- Produce
- Canned items
- Dry goods
Our program rescues the majority of food from:
- Grocery stores
- Food manufacturers
- Growers and farmers
- Wholesalers
Our food rescue program provides millions of meals to families, children, adults, and seniors struggling with hunger and food insecurity in New Mexico every year. It also ensures we always have a variety of nutritious food items available to help create more well-balanced meals for food insecure households, impacting their health, too. Produce is key in creating more well-rounded, balanced meals to help food insecure households combat chronic health issues such as diabetes or hypertension. It’s just one of a variety of food items our food rescue program provides to neighbors experiencing hunger.
Food Rescue Fights Food Waste
Consider the amount of resources that go into growing good. Land, water, time, weather, packaging, freight, etc., are just a few things that impact our food chain. When so much food is lost in the food production cycle, it impacts our landfills, our environment, our water, and soil resources, too. Capturing unsold food items is important for using our resources at the community, regional, and national levels more efficiently.
Get Involved as a Food Rescue Donor
There is always more food we can capture as part of the food rescue process. We invite you to join us and connect with our Food Rescue staff to talk about possibilities in using your excess food to provide meals to New Mexicans facing hunger. If you are in the food industry and are interested in becoming involved in our food rescue program, please contact us.
Food Rescue Is Protected by Law and May Have Tax Benefits
At times food industry donors are concerned about liability issues surrounding donations of food. To protect food donations made to nonprofit hunger relief organizations, both federal and state laws were created when given in good faith.
In addition to protecting your good intentions, food industry donors may be allowed to take their gift of food as a tax deduction. Be sure to check with your accountant to determine what is allowed by the Internal Revenue Service.
