Food Rescue & Donations
Turn Surplus Into Support
Join Project Green Fork as a food donation partner and make a meaningful impact on reducing food waste while helping those in need! Our team facilitates the donation of surplus food to local organizations to ensure that perfectly good food doesn’t go to waste.
Want to Donate?
Your surplus food has immense value. As a food donation partner, you can donate leftover food from events, catering services, or daily operations, knowing that it will be redistributed to local nonprofits and community organizations that serve individuals and families facing food insecurity
At Project Green Fork, we’re here to make this process as simple and impactful as possible. Through the Careit app, you can connect with dozens of local nonprofits ready to pick up and distribute your donations.
By donating, you’re doing more than reducing waste – you’re ensuring that nutritious food gets to people who need it most. It’s a win for the environment, a win for our neighbors, and a win for you. To become a food donation partner, contact our Food Rescue Coordinator Heidi Rupke at heidi@cleanmemphis.org.
Looking for Donations?
If you're an organization in need of food donations to support your mission, we can work with you to arrange for suitable food to be donated to your organization. To get registered and receive food donations, contact PGF’s Food Rescue Support Specialist Stephanie Rollen at steph@cleanmemphis.org.
What Can I donate?
Unopened ingredients
Unserved, back-of-house food
Out-of-date items (within reason)
Food with visible spoilage
Prepared food, not stored safely
Food that has been served to consumers
Did you know?
You are legally protected to donate food!
The Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and Tennessee Liability of Free Food Distributors law offer liability protection for individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and gleaners who safely donate food. Tennessee’s law covers donating past-expiration-date items that are safe to eat and donating food directly to individuals.
BEST PRACTICES FOR POSTING DONATIONS
Optimize pick-up timing.
Post your pick-up windows during business hours whenever possible. Nonprofits have the most staff and volunteers available at these times. Ensure your pick-up window is at least 3.5 hours long to allow ample time for nonprofits to arrive.
Provide clear instructions.
Include specific pick-up details (e.g., preferred entrances, contact numbers) in your listing to streamline the process.
Maximize distribution.
For donations over 200 pounds, split them into smaller batches. This prevents waste and ensures more organizations can benefit from your surplus.
Give visual documentation.
Open boxes or pans for photos of donations. This helps nonprofits see exactly what they’ll be picking up.