By Tom Lally, Building Kentucky
Kentucky Harvest, Louisville’s most established organization committed to food rescue, is proud to celebrate a significant milestone for the Louisville region. Since launching the Kentucky Harvest app in November of 2023, the organization facilitated the rescue of 2,108,636 pounds of food from 191 business locations like Papa John’s, Cysco and Thorntons, feeding 250,000 people.
The Kentucky Harvest app combines the organization’s decades of logistical expertise with innovative technology to seamlessly connect with volunteers and food partners. In the past year, 763 people downloaded the app and volunteered their time to perform 4,884 rescues in our community.
“We’re proud to call these new volunteers Food Rescue Heros, and they’re saving more than food,” Kentucky Harvest Executive Director Heather Stewart said. “Food rescue allows us to offset costs for our more than 80 nonprofit partners, saving more than $4 million each year they can use to make their programs stronger.”
In the past year, Kentucky Harvest mitigated 6.7 million pounds of harmful emissions from the air we breathe. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 58 percent of methane emissions in landfills are caused by wasted food. Food waste isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s a threat to our environment and a setback for those struggling with hunger.
You can make a difference today by downloading the Kentucky Harvest App, volunteering and donating at kyharvest.org.
Using the Kentucky Harvest App:
- Download the app and enter in your availability
- Get notified when food rescues fit in your schedule
- Get easy step-by-step instructions for pick up and drop off
