Whole Foods donates refrigerated van to food rescue group in Pittsburgh

Whole Foods Market on Tuesday donated a refrigerated food delivery van to the food rescue and hunger relief organization 412 Food Rescue.

The donation took place outside the Whole Foods on Centre Avenue in Pittsburgh store as part of its Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program, which is designed to help food rescue organizations move food to where it is needed.

The van will transport 20,000 pounds of food per week from the area’s grocers and retailers, including Whole Foods Market. The program aims to divert 29 million pounds of food from landfills each year nationally, equating to 242 million meals.

“Whole Foods Market is a longtime supporter that has contributed donations for us to transport to people in need for quite some time,” said 412 Food Rescue co-founder and CEO Leah Lizarondo.

The food rescue organization is one of seven community-based food rescue and redistribution programs that participated in the Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program this year.

“We are donating food rescue vans to organizations who are diverting food waste,” said Whole Foods spokeswoman Ashley Chaney. “Today is a big day. We’re happy to be here supporting 412 Food Rescue and the city of Pittsburgh.”