Safeway Joins The Food Rescue Program

By Published On: January 27th, 2016
 

More healthy food is going to people struggling to make ends meet through Marion Polk Food Share’s new grocery rescue partnership with Safeway. Nine Safeway stores in Marion and Polk counties are joining the Fresh Alliance program, which captures and diverts fresh food to hungry people across the state.

Launched in 2005, the Food Share collects nutritious, perishable food, including milk, meat, produce and

other dairy products that might otherwise be discarded. The products are near their “sell by” date yet still perfectly good to eat. With community support, the Food Share is purchasing a new truck to distribute the food quickly and efficiently to people in need through the Food Share’s network of partner agencies.

The Food Share and our partners in Oregon are the first to launch this newly expanded grocery rescue program in Safeway stores. Safeway also plans to eventually expand the program in stores across the nation.

“The addition of Safeway to Fresh Alliance means that more good food will go to the people who need it most,” said Rick Gaupo, President of the Food Share. “Our mission is to end hunger. Partnerships like this, with retailers who are united in this common purpose, make our mission that much more achievable.”

Safeway expects to donate 1.5 million pounds of food across Oregon – equal to 1.25 million meals – once its stores are online by next spring, joining Fred Meyer, Natural Grocer, Target, Cash & Carry, Trader Joe’s, Roth’s, Walmart and others in this great partnership.