Volunteer

Volunteering for a “shift” is easy and fun to do. Typically “shifts” only take less than an hour and you get to meet some of the most generous and grateful people.

Don’t have a car or want to help in a different way? E-mail us and we will apply your skills in other ways to help feed those in need in our community.

Our Funders

We have been able to continue our work thanks in part to grants from these foundations. We could not help feed those in need without support from the community!

Athens Food Rescue continues to grow.

Providing food for community members by preventing food waste from going to the landfill takes time and effort, and more local residents are getting involved to make it happen.

“Without our volunteers we cannot reach our donors or recipients,” said Athens Food Rescue Executive Director Nanda Filkin.  “Building up a pool of regular volunteers is key to our mission.”

The newest volunteers are longtime residents of Athens. They are Heidi Wilhelm, Sue Jago and Janalee Stock.

“I am motivated to assist with hunger remediation and reducing food waste,” said Wilhelm. She just started in January.

Wilhelm and the other AFR volunteers pickup food donations and deliver them to various sites around Athens County, including food pantries, meal programs, and a homeless shelter. The donations are what you might call leftovers that otherwise would be thrown away.

Stock is a retired nurse whose career informed her of how important health is to overall well-being.

“I grew up at a time when wasting food was a ‘sin’,” said Stock.  “So not wasting food is in my DNA, but when I learned that food wastage is a major contributing factor to climate change I became even more passionate about the importance of not taking food for granted.”

As for Jago, she helped start Athens Food Rescue several years ago and has returned as a volunteer driver.

“I no longer keep a regular shift but act as a substitute when other volunteers are unable to perform their pickup due to illness or travel,” said Jago.  “I love feeding people, especially those who struggle to feed themselves.”

If you would like to join Jago, Stock and Wilhelm as a volunteer, visit www.athensfoodrescue.com.  Typically, volunteer shifts take less than an hour.

And please consider donating by sending a check to Athens Food Rescue, P.O. Box 1143, Athens, Ohio 45701. Gifts are tax deductible.

Why participate in food rescue?

Help the Community

  • 1 in 6 American households are food insecure

  • Contributing to Athens Food Rescue helps feed hungry people in Athens with food that would otherwise go to waste

Improve Your Bottom Line

  • Reduce waste hauling fees

  • Cut costs by developing new waste reduction strategies

  • You may be eligible for an enhanced tax deduction

Bolster Sustainability

  • Food recovery helps reduce food waste, America’s largest waste stream

  • Organic waste emits methane, which is 21 times more harmful than carbon dioxide*

  • Source reduction and donating food to feed people are the best ways to reduce food waste

Liability Protection

  • The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act protects all good faith food donors from liability

  • Thousands of businesses, universities, and even the federal government donate surplus food regularly

Learn more about food waste management with these resources:

If you would like to donate to Athens Food Rescue, you can send us a check to:

Athens Food Rescue, P.O. Box 1143, Athens, Ohio  45701

You can also donate to Athens Food Rescue by giving directly to The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio in our name. Gifts to the Athens Food Rescue Fund are tax deductible and can be made in many ways, including cash, bequests, and life insurance.  You can find more about how to do this here.