Food Recovery & Zero Hunger

Reducing Waste. Fighting Hunger. Nourishing Our Community.

Every week, wholesome food that might otherwise go to waste is rescued and redirected to nourish neighbors throughout Valley County. Through community partnerships, dedicated volunteers, and responsible stewardship, we transform surplus food into community impact.

About the Program

Every day, perfectly good food is discarded while individuals and families struggle to access nutritious meals. Our Food Recovery & Zero Hunger Program connects those two realities.

We partner with grocery stores, farms, bakeries, restaurants, food distributors, schools, and community organizations to rescue wholesome surplus food before it goes to waste. That food is carefully inspected, sorted, and redistributed through multiple McCall Senior & Community Center programs, helping reduce both hunger and food waste.

Food Recovery strengthens our community while supporting environmental stewardship.

Program Details

ScheduleWeekly pickups — flexible scheduling
TimingVaries by partner location
Service areaThroughout Valley County
Cost to partnersFree service for partner businesses
Who can partnerOpen to any food business with surplus product
Volunteer loading rescued food into a vehicle for redistribution

Impact

Why It Matters

Food Recovery creates benefits throughout our community.

Fighting Hunger

Nutritious food reaches neighbors who need it.

Reducing Waste

Perfectly good food stays out of the landfill.

Strengthening Partnerships

Businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, and community members work together for a common purpose.

Supporting Sustainability

Food recovery conserves valuable resources while protecting the environment.

The Journey

How It Works

Step 1

Businesses Donate

Local businesses donate surplus food — groceries, produce, baked goods, and more.

Step 2

Volunteers Recover

Dedicated volunteer drivers pick up and transport food from partner locations.

Step 3

Food Is Inspected

All recovered food is carefully inspected and sorted for quality and safety.

Step 4

Community Is Nourished

Food is redistributed through Community Dinners, Meals on Wheels, the Community Food Pantry, and future USDA nutrition programs.

Hub of Our Mission

Programs Supported

Recovered food may help support:

Community Dinners
Meals on Wheels
Community Food Pantry
Emergency food assistance
TEFAP (Emergency Food Assistance Program)Soon
CSFP (Senior Food Boxes)Soon
Community events
Future nutrition initiatives

By the Numbers

Community Impact

10,000+
Pounds of food recovered
2+
Businesses participating
4,000+
Volunteer hours
100s
Meals supported
100s
Pantry distributions supported
Dozens
Community dinners supplemented
We used to throw away so much good food at the end of the week. Now it goes to people who actually need it. It feels like the right thing to do.
Local grocery partner, McCall

Become a Partner

Partnering with us helps reduce waste while strengthening our community. We welcome:

  • Grocery stores
  • Farms
  • Restaurants
  • Bakeries
  • Schools
  • Caterers
  • Food distributors
  • Community gardens
  • Farmers markets
  • Event organizers

Volunteer with Food Recovery

Food Recovery volunteers assist with:

  • Food pickups
  • Sorting
  • Pantry stocking
  • Delivery coordination
  • Inventory
  • Distribution
  • Community events

Vision

Looking Ahead

Growing Our Food Recovery Network

Food Recovery is the foundation of our broader food security mission. As partnerships continue to grow, rescued food will continue supporting Community Dinners, Meals on Wheels, the Community Food Pantry, and future USDA nutrition programs including TEFAP and CSFP.

Our long-term vision is a resilient community food system where wholesome food feeds people — not landfills.

Get Involved

Food recovery drivers make weekly pickups from our partner businesses. If you have a reliable vehicle and a few flexible hours each week, you can keep our pantry stocked and food out of the landfill.