Updates
We Rescue: Volunteer-Led Food Recovery
January 26, 2024
We are proud to announce We Don’t Waste’s new volunteer-led food recovery app, We Rescue, serving the Denver metro area (including Boulder)!
Join We Don’t Waste in our mission to end local food insecurity while preventing food waste. It’s as easy as downloading the app and going on your first food rescue run!
Volunteers sign up and select the time they prefer to volunteer and the areas they’d like to serve, and food rescues with good, surplus food from food donors (like your favorite local restaurants, delis, and bakeries) are posted to the app. Volunteers claim a rescue, head to the food donor to pick up the food and drop it off with one of We Don’t Waste’s food recipient agencies.
Your impact as a We Rescue volunteer is huge. Smaller and more frequent food recoveries mean even more vital food access becomes available through nonprofits and community centers across Denver and Boulder. Local food businesses also have an easy, free way to donate food without interrupting their daily operations.
It’s a win-win for the organizations creating food access and businesses with surplus food!
Volunteers can get started TODAY with We Rescue by downloading the app in the Google Play Store or in the App Store.
Why is it a big deal? Food insecurity is a major issue for communities in our own backyard. Data has shown that as many as 1 in 3 Coloradans are experiencing food insecurity, meaning they do not have consistent access to affordable, nutritious food. Shockingly, about 40% of all food produced in the US ends up in a landfill, and much of this food is edible, nutritious product. See the connection? We Rescue volunteers bridge the gap between the two, much like We Don’t Waste with our food recovery and distribution network.
“We really enjoy the flexibility of the program. The time commitment can be as much or as little as our schedule allows. We’ve done rescues on our way to the airport, on our way to other events, or just when we had some free time.”
—John & Betsy, We Rescue volunteers
F.A.Q.
Is this the same app (Careit) We Don’t Waste has used for volunteer food recovery before?
The We Rescue app is a brand-new app, built from the ground up and powered by Food Rescue Hero to support We Don’t Waste’s distribution network in Denver and Boulder.
How long does it take to get started?
Downloading the app and creating an account takes just a few minutes. Make sure your notifications are turned on to be notified when runs are available in your area, and then you’re ready to rescue food!
Do I have to volunteer regularly?
You can choose to claim a food rescue run just once, or claim a run each week as it becomes available. It’s up to you to decide how regularly you’d like to volunteer!
Can I donate food through We Rescue?
We accept food from local businesses like delis, bakeries, restaurants, and more, but we do not recover from households, clubs, etc. For more details on donating food, check out our food recovery page here.