FOLLOW THE FOOD
Where Does the Food Come From
Many of Denver’s top venues, caterers, restaurants and food producers contact We Don’t Waste when they have surplus fresh food that will go unused. Food contributed includes fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, and restaurant grade prepared meals.
Where Does the Food Go
Organizations such as Father Woody’s Haven of Hope, Denver Inner City Parish, Beacon Place, SafeHouse Denver, Harbor Lights, The Gathering Place and many others receive the donations. The food is provided at no cost to each participating organization, and auguments their food needs, helping to reduce their food costs and optimize their budgets.
Beneficiary Agencies
Currently, we support Denver’s community-based agencies that provide food to the underserved. They serve more than 3,000 meals to men, women and children every day in our community.
People in Need
A diverse group of people -- children, the elderly, homeless, veterans, the working poor, single-parent families, the physically and mentally challenged, those struggling to make ends meet -- benefit from the contributions to the participant agencies.
Colorado Avalanche and We Don't Waste Partner
Players from the Colorado Avalanche and We Don't Waste help serve food provided by We Don't Waste to the hungry at Father Woody's Haven of Hope for Thanksgiving.
The Beanstalk Foundation looks at We Don't Waste
The Moveable Feast: Arlan Preblud and We Don’t Waste
05 Thursday Jan 2012
When we spoke with Arlan Preblud the first time, it was in a spartan warehouse space. Towering stacks of cardboard boxes surrounded us; all of them taped, re-taped, and filled with personal hygiene supplies that will soon be distributed to shelters and other agencies by We Don’t Waste. Preblud started We Don’t Waste in September 2009 when he decided to retire from his legal practice.
“I had volunteered with various agencies around the city, and I saw, first, that there was a tremendous need for certain items, primarily food. Two, that the food that was being provided to the clients of these facilities had some limitations,” says Preblud.
He wanted to bring healthier, better food to the clients of various shelters, food banks and other non-profit agencies, so Preblud contacted various restaurateurs, catering companies, and event venues. Turns out, they were thrilled to help, but neither they, nor the shelters and food banks could transport the food. That’s where We Don’t Waste found its niche. Preblud’s organization began coordinating pick up, and delivery of all the food that was donated. And the community embraced the idea.
As of September 2011, We Don’t Waste works with major sports and entertainment venues across Denver, including Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the Pepsi Center, the Colorado Convention Center, and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Add to the list nearly all of the major catering companies and various restaurants like the Palm Restaurant; We Don’t Waste was able to provide over 1,200,000 servings of nutritious food to underserved people throughout Denver in 2010 (their first full year). They have their sights set on increasing that number by 10% by end of 2011. They’ve even branched out into storing and delivering hygiene supplies like shampoo, conditioner, lotion and the like.
When asked why he does what he does, Arlan Preblud provides some sage words: “All of us are only one step away from being in the position to rely upon the goodness of others to help us.” He continues, “The people who frequent these agencies today are not the traditional homeless, they are people with homes, with families, who lost their homes, lost their jobs and now they are on the street.”
