DRW and RLC Partner to Fight Hunger in Chicago
September is Hunger Action Month, a time to spotlight the issue of food insecurity and the organizations working to address it. In Chicago, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine (RLC) tackles both food waste and hunger. To date, DRW’s partnership with RLC has rescued more than 3,370 pounds of food and provided over 2,800 meals. We spoke with the RLC team about how food rescues work, the importance of partnerships, and the real stories behind the numbers.
Can you share the mission of Rescuing Leftover Cuisine and how it addresses both food waste and hunger in Chicago?
Our mission is to redistribute excess food to people experiencing food insecurity. By focusing solely on food that would otherwise end up in landfills, we address both the environmental impact of wasted food and the urgent need for meals in our communities. We deliver rescued food to nonprofit organizations that serve individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
What does a typical food rescue look like and what impact does that have on local communities?
We make donating food simple for our partners. Every Friday by 11 a.m., DRW’s kitchen staff packages up their weekly donation to RLC. An RLC rescuer picks it up from the loading dock, transports it, and delivers it to a nearby nonprofit partner, which then distributes it directly to clients.
The average DRW food rescue is around 100 pounds — that’s 100 pounds of fresh, high-quality food going directly to neighbors experiencing food insecurity. These donations also allow our nonprofit partners to focus more of their resources on other essential services beyond food distribution.
From your perspective, why are partnerships important to advancing your mission?
Partnerships are the foundation of our work. Every food donor, volunteer, and nonprofit partner plays a role in making sure good food doesn’t go to waste and instead reaches the people who need it most.
Some partnerships (like DRW) go even further than that. In addition to donating excess food, they support us through corporate volunteer efforts, including participating in a Repack for Impact. During that event, we are able to prepare individually packaged meals for one of our nonprofit partners, making their meal distribution process faster, easier, and more efficient.
Can you share any stories or moments that show the difference RLC’s work has made for individuals or families?
Here’s a recent story from one of our Chicago nonprofit partners, YMEN:
"A quick note of gratitude. A church approached me this week to see if we had food for a funeral for a family that lost an infant. Because of your generous work and donors and our new outdoor freezer to store food, we were able to provide the family with trays of chicken wings/thighs, mac and cheese, potato wedges and pork roast. The family has a heavy burden, but I would like to think we made it a little lighter for them this Saturday."
What are the biggest challenges RLC is currently facing, and how can the broader community help?
Our biggest challenge is meeting the rising demand for food assistance in our communities. The Congressional Budget Office recently projected that the latest cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will cause 2.4 million Americans to lose food benefits.
To meet this increased need, we’re working to bring on more food donor partners and deliver more rescued food to our nonprofit partners. The community can help in three ways:
Refer a potential food donor — such as a caterer, office cafeteria, or other food business.
Volunteer — join us in rescuing and delivering food.
Make a financial donation — to help us provide more food.