FeedHV Reaches One Million Pound Rescue Milestone

In April of this year, FeedHV celebrated its greatest milestone in the program’s history, surpassing over one million pounds of food rescued. FeedHV is the Hudson Valley’s community food rescue and harvesting network dedicated to meeting the needs of neighbors while mitigating the impacts of food waste. The program is administered by Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation (HVADC) and operates across Dutchess, Columbia, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and Ulster counties in New York State.

Since 2017, FeedHV has been using the ChowMatch app to match food donors with food assistance programs and direct food to those who need it most. Thanks to FeedHV’s incredible network of donors, feeding agencies and volunteers, the program has grown exponentially and has moved more food each year since its inception. The program is looking to build upon its one-million-pound success this summer by recruiting twenty five new volunteers.

From January through April of this year, FeedHV has saved over 90,000 pounds of food that would have otherwise gone to waste. The FeedHV network currently includes 490 volunteers, 260 donor organizations and more than 185 receiving agencies with food assistance programs. Donors range from restaurants, farms, markets and food makers to caterers, event venues and educational institutions.

“Reaching one million pounds of rescued food is an incredible milestone for our region – it represents meals delivered to neighbors, resources kept out of landfills, and a community that shows up for one another,” said HVADC Deputy Director Mary Ann Johnson. “With demand growing, we’re inviting more volunteers to join us this ummer and help ensure good food reached the people who need it most.”

“HVADC is rooted in supporting community development and food justice and we appreciate the people who take action to support those in need,” said HVADC Deputy Director Mary Ann Johnson. “The FeedHV program is built on dedicated volunteers who not only pick up and deliver the food runs, but also problem solve and interact with community members.”

This summer, FeedHV is anticipating an increasing amount of donations and needs additional volunteer help. FeedHV volunteers are essential to reducing food waste and insecurity in the region. The volunteer crew transports food donations to recipient agencies on their own schedule, enabled through the ChowMatch app. Volunteers select their own geographic coverage, types of donations they transport (size and weight), and time spent. All individuals aged 18 and over with reliable transportation and auto insurance can volunteer with FeedHV. 

To learn more about FeedHV visit www.feedhv.org. To sign up as a volunteer, visit https://www.feedhv.org/volunteer

In addition to volunteer drivers, the organization is also seeking food donors and new receiving agencies in the covered counties. To become a food donor, visit https://www.feedhv.org/becomeafooddonor. To register as a receiving agency, visit https://www.feedhv.org/receivefood. To make a monetary donation to FeedHV, visit www.feedhv.org/donate-today.  Monetary gifts allow the program to purchase directly from local farms to augment the donations that run through the FeedHV rescue network, provide even more to its receiving agencies, and support local agriculture.