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.

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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!

Volunteers with Athens Food Rescue gathered recently for a celebration of achievement, with several of them given awards for their efforts to distribute donated food to area residents who may not get enough to eat.

One of the volunteers is Adele Hanson.  So far this year, working 43 shifts, she has rescued more than 1900 pounds of food.

Herman Carson was honored for rescuing almost 6000 pounds of food since becoming a volunteer in 2019.

Heidi Wilhelm, Kristin Distel and Janalee Stock are three of the newest members of AFR.  Stock has rescued more than 1100 pounds of food, Distel more than 500 pounds and Wilhelm 246 pounds.

Julie Finlay was singled out as “the volunteer with the largest haul.”  For one of her shifts she loaded nearly 800 pounds of food into her car for delivery.

Teresa Curtiss is one of the founders of Athens Food Rescue.  Since the start of the group in 2015, she has rescued more than 71,000 pounds of food.

Other volunteers recognized for their contributions – Michael Ward, Margaret Hoff, Michael Williford, Tom Quinn, Sue Jago and Stephanie and Fred Kight.

“”We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our volunteers,” said Nanda Filkin, AFR’s executive director.  “We hosted the gathering to show our appreciation.”

Athens Food Rescue collects food from donors and transports it to several food pantries, meal programs and other groups.  This helps fight hunger while at the same time keeping surplus food from being wasted and taken to the landfill.

Anyone who’d like to donate can send a check to Athens Food Rescue, P.O. Box 1143, Athens, Ohio 45701.

Volunteer with AFR

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.