RIVERSIDE FOOD RESCUE

Riverside Food Rescue is a program funded by CalRecycle that diverts perfectly edible food from landfills to feed the hungry. Contact RiversideFoodRescue@gmail.com today!

First, are food donations even allowed? If you think your food facility can't donate its excess for legal reasons, rest easy. The Bill Emerson Act of 1996 (updated in 2018) protects food donors and recipient agencies from civil and criminal liability, barring gross negligence. Furthermore, as a donor there are real benefits for your business or institution. See below.

I'm an individual, not a food facility. Can I donate my food? We only take donations from certified food facilities like restaurants or school kitchens. But if you grow stuff in your backyard, or have a farm or community garden plot, contact our sister program Gleaners For Good! Volunteers will pick excess fresh uncut produce for donation to the hungry.

My agency would like to be a food recipient. Is this safe? Donations come from certified food facilities. But if you're still worried, we require every staff member to have a Food Handler permit with education in food safety. We also have a refrigerated truck that keeps donations at proper temperature while in transit.

Do you pick up and deliver? We're establishing a route for pick-ups from food facilities that offer regular donations, delivering to a list of agencies that offer hunger relief. Contact us if you'd like to register your facility or agency! Through our upcoming online food exchange platform Chow Match you can find more food offers for making individual arrangements.

What kinds of food can I donate? We accept fresh or frozen food products suitable for consumption that have been prepared in accordance with state and local food handling guidelines. You may use disposable packaging, particularly for frozen donations. If you're a regular donor, we register any of your equipment used for packaging and return it to you on your next scheduled pick-up.

Is there a minimum amount to donate? Our rule of thumb is around 10 meals or 10 pounds minimum. If you don't meet the minimum, you'll still be able to post your offering on Chow Match (coming soon).

How is my donation recorded? You get a receipt upon pick-up. Our staff registers all transactions and regular participants will receive a quarterly report.

What are the benefits of donating excess food?

WASTE REDUCTION!
By monitoring donations, we help you become more efficient by tracking discarded food. You will also be in compliance with new state waste reduction requirements.

TAX DEDUCTION!
Another way to save big.

RECOGNITION!
You'll get a Seal of Recognition for display at your business that commends your participation in the ongoing effort to reduce hunger in our community.

AWARENESS!
Understanding for yourself and your public how we can all become better, more responsible food consumers. Check out our Food Rescue and Waste Prevention Ambassador Certification program and register to participate.