How Waste Not and Whole Foods Market Are Expanding Food Rescue in Phoenix

Waste Not is accelerating its mission to fight hunger and food waste across the Valley thanks to a new gift from Whole Foods Market. The Phoenix-based nonprofit is now the recipient of a new E-transit refrigerated van and a Level 2 charging station through Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program, a donation that will support the rescue and redistribution of fresh food to community members experiencing food insecurity.

The impact of the gift was celebrated when Waste Not staff joined Whole Foods Market team members at the Tempe store to fill the van to capacity with donated products. From there, the food headed straight into the community, destined for families and individuals who rely on timely access to nutritious meals.

“This refrigerated van is more than just a vehicle; it is a lifeline,” Waste Not Executive Director Mara Pernick said. “It will allow our drivers to safely transport fresh, nutritious food across the Valley, ensuring it reaches families, veterans, and individuals who might otherwise go without. By keeping food fresh from pickup to delivery, we can maximize the impact of every donation.”

“We’re so thrilled to expand our relationship with Waste Not and further support their food rescue efforts to nourish the community,” Store Team Leader Stacy McLean said. “Not only will this van help transport more rescued food to neighbors in need, but it will also help reduce food waste and do so much good to create long-term impact, nourishing the community.”

Launched in September 2020, Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program has donated 90 refrigerated vans to food rescue partners across the U.S. and Canada. These organizations participate in the company’s Grocery Rescue Program, which enables partners to pick up food weekly and redistribute it quickly.

The need for this work is especially urgent in Arizona. The state leads the nation in food waste, with more than $9.5 billion in food discarded each year, even as one in seven Arizonans faces hunger and uncertainty about their next meal. For more than 35 years, Waste Not has worked to bridge this gap by rescuing surplus food and delivering it directly to organizations that serve people in need.

In 2024 alone, Waste Not diverted 2.7 million pounds of edible food from landfills, transforming what would have been waste into nourishment for communities across Arizona. With the addition of the new refrigerated van and charging station, the organization is poised to expand that impact even further, turning generosity into action and fresh food into hope. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit wastenotaz.org.