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 is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a fund drive designed to help the group do more to fight hunger and wastefulness in Athens County.

AFR got started in 2015 and since then has recovered more than 350,000 pounds of milk, bread, produce, stable shelf foods and other provisions.  The items come from 13 generous donors and are delivered by 12 AFR volunteers to area food pantries and meal providers.

The food would otherwise be thrown away, trucked off to a landfill. So far this year AFR has diverted 25,000 pounds of food.

AFR is a non-profit organization.  It does not have a regular source of income, except from occasional small grants.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Teresa Curtiss, AFR has initiated a corporate sponsorship program.  We are trying to raise $10,000.

“I am so proud of all our board members and volunteers who have made this organization a success,” said Curtiss.  “It’s been wonderful to watch how our impact has grown within the community over the last decade. This is in large part due to the support and food donations we get from area businesses.”

AFR is asking for support to continue to deliver food donations to our many recipients, including United Campus Ministry, The Gathering Place, Athens County Food Pantry and First United Methodist Church.

“We appreciate (AFR) so much, we really do,” said Jeanna Null of Feed My Sheep.  Her group also receives food from AFR.

The lowest sponsorship level is $50 to $100.  The highest is $750 to $5000.

Sponsors will receive small thank-you gifts, including a decal which can be placed on a storefront window.  The decal declares “We Support Athens Food Rescue.”

Donations can be sent to Athens Food Rescue, PO Box 1143, Athens, Ohio, 45701. Gifts are tax-deductible.

More information is available at AthensFoodRescue.com.

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.