Inside the Store: Choosing to Give, Not Toss
Behind every rescued gallon of milk or box of cereal is someone who made a conscious choice: to give instead of toss. Thanks to a strong partnership with Community Food Share, produce managers and store teams are rethinking what it means to fight hunger and making sure quality food doesn’t go to waste.
Donation as a Daily Practice
Commitment to food donation is embedded in how our grocery partners do business. Every time an item nears its sell-by date or has a cosmetic imperfection (think dented cereal boxes or a six-pack with one bottle missing), their team doesn’t hesitate.
Donate or Toss?
Decide like a produce manager. Choose donate or toss for each item; we’ll tell you if you nailed it and why. When taking the practice to real life, remember, policies vary depending on the product or the store.
With policies that now allow donations up to a week past expiration (for eligible items), and a team culture built around dignity and care, the Target located in Superior (one of our food rescue partners) now donates 97% of eligible food scanned for donation.
From one store’s scanning process
Food is food. And everyone deserves it.
When a family in Boulder County sits down to a fresh meal made possible by rescued food, it’s because a store team chose to give rather than toss.
“It’s about people,” Craig says. “If we can donate instead of toss, that’s always the right choice.”
Keep Good Food Moving
The Retail Rescue process starts with store employees like Craig, but in order to have the resources needed to pick up and distribute the food, we need your help. Your support keeps our trucks on the road and quality groceries out of landfills, reaching neighbors across Boulder and Broomfield Counties.
A Culture of Care
The process starts with those in it, day-in and day-out.
Craig has seen firsthand the effect this food has on families, especially when it reaches them quickly and with dignity. “The community here is incredibly passionate about food donations,” Craig adds. “And knowing our food goes to over 40 agencies through Community Food Share, sometimes the same day? That’s real impact.”
