Local bagel business helps food rescue nonprofit keep on rolling
Second Helpings Atlanta has a network of volunteers to collect and pack donated food.For restaurants, retailers and other food businesses, the pandemic created all manner of disruptions. Second Helpings Atlanta (SHA), an Atlanta-based food rescue non-profit, was no exception. The organization, founded in 2004, delivers donated surplus food to partner agencies that distribute it to those in need. The model is strong and successful, with about 350 volunteer drivers delivering close to two million pounds each year.
The sudden shutdown in mid-March threatened the ability of SHA to deliver on its mission. There was plenty of food being offered by retailers, restaurants, schools, corporate kitchens and large venues. The problem was drivers.
“With many of our volunteers over the age of 50, we were not comfortable potentially putting them at risk by driving their regular routes,” says SHA Executive Director Andrea Jaron.
A board member suggested that Jaron contact Goldberg’s, a SHA food donor, about the possibility of using their drivers to conduct pick-ups until SHA could resume normal volunteer operations. The timing was perfect, says Jaron.
Goldberg’s, which had temporarily closed its airport locations, was looking for ways to keep its employees on the payroll while serving the community. From mid-April through the end of May, Goldberg’s provided a rotation of drivers who rescued fresh, prepared and frozen food from SHA donors seven days a week and delivered it to agencies across the city.
A Classic Win-Win
Atlanta-based Goldberg’s partnered with Second Helpings Atlanta to pick up and deliver donated food throughout the metro area during the COVID-19 pandemic.“Working with SHA was a classic win-win for us,” says Goldberg’s President Wayne Saxe. “We were pleased to be able to deliver thousands of pounds daily, including our own food. Getting our drivers involved gave us a new perspective on the need to address hunger and food waste, especially now.”
With Goldberg’s drivers handling regular routes, SHA was able to respond to a number of large, unexpected donations. “One day we got a call from a local restaurant that found itself with 2,000 pounds of fresh, homemade pasta and no customers to serve it to,” Jaron says. “Having the capacity to promptly pick up and deliver the donated pasta to partner agencies kept this gourmet food from ending up a landfill.”
Part of the Solution
Second Helpings Atlanta has been involved in other pandemic-related hunger relief initiatives. The organization is partnering with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Atlanta Braves and Mercedes-Benz USA to deliver thousands of donated meals to agencies each week, with plans to expand the program throughout the summer.
Over the next several weeks, SHA plans to resume its normal volunteer driving schedule. “We are enormously grateful to Goldberg’s for making it possible to serve Atlanta’s food-insecure families, including those who rely on schools for daily nutrition,” says Jaron. She’s quick to add that SHA’s awesome volunteers can’t wait to get back on the road.
“To Wayne Saxe and his team, to our generous food donors, volunteers and amazing staff, thank you for making sure we never missed a beat during this challenging time,” says Jaron.
She invites restaurateurs, retailers and businesses to learn more about becoming a food donor or financial supporter by visiting secondhelpingsatlanta.org.
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About Second Helpings Atlanta
Second Helpings Atlanta is a nonprofit food rescue organization whose mission is to reduce hunger and food waste in the Metro Atlanta area by rescuing surplus food and distributing it to those in need.
The nonprofit, which was founded in 2004, is seeing a significant surge in need as more Atlanta families are experiencing food insecurity amid school closures and job losses. Every 22 days, the group is rescuing an average of 100,000 pounds of surplus food and delivering thousands of prepared meals weekly.
Several restaurants in the metro area contribute food to the cause. Food donors include Buttermilk Kitchen, Chick-fil-A, Muss & Turner’s, City BBQ and markets like the Sandy Springs, Morningside and Freedom Farmer’s Markets. FIGO Pasta recently donated 2,000 pounds of fresh pasta in May. If you are a restaurant that wants to get involved, learn more here.
