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.

JOIN US

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!

 

When you’re cooking for as many as 50 people a night, little things like new cutting boards and knives can be a big help. So Athens Food Rescue is pleased to provide those items to The Gathering Place and its clients.

“This really helps our food program and budget,” said Ginger Schmalenberg, executive director of The Gathering Place, where all of the food is prepared in-house. The Gathering Place is a community peer support program for adults who have experienced trauma, mental illness, addiction or other mental health issues.

The cutting board and knives, as well as a scale and reusable containers, were purchased by Athens Food Rescue with funds set aside in the group’s budget, most of which is used for paying for transport of food from donors to recipients like The Gathering Place.  AFR’s goal is to reduce food waste and reduce hunger.

Athens Food Rescue also donated a digital scale to United Campus Ministry.

Ari Faber of UCM said, “With large scale donations such as those we receive at the end of the school year it is really necessary to have a scale such as this to give accurate measurements. We can use this to measure our overall impact.”

Athens Food Rescue is a 501c3 non-profit organization operating in Athens County.  It has 13 generous food donors and 12 active volunteers.

More information about AFR is available at https://www.athensfoodrescue.com. Contributions can be sent to Athens Food Rescue, PO Box 1143, Athens, Ohio, 45701.

(Photo is Ginger Schmalenberg and two staff members (Daniel and Mady) receiving the donations.)
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.