Tackling Food Waste, Hunger and Sustainability
At Publicis Health, public service and supporting the people and communities where we live and work are essential tenets of what we believe. April is National Volunteer Month, an opportunity for each of us to give back in ways big and small. Throughout April, we’re happy to share volunteer stories of team members from across Publicis Health.
LeeAnn Marhevsky, Copy Supervisor at Digitas Health , shares her experiences volunteering with 412 Food Rescue.
Tell us a bit about your volunteering work …
I live in Pittsburgh and volunteer by spending the day driving around the city picking up food at different locations and redistributing it to senior centers for 412 Food Rescue, a local organization that addresses food waste, hunger and environmental sustainability. I signed into their app and followed the route they send me: pick up and drop off locations and a contact for each place.
412 Food Rescue partners with grocery stores, wholesalers, restaurants, caterers, universities, and event centers. They utilize volunteers who pick up surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and donate it to housing authorities, daycares, churches, community centers, and nursing homes.
How did you initially get involved with your volunteer organization?
I had been following them on social media and saw that they needed more volunteers to pick up donations. I hate food waste and was so excited to do something to take food that would otherwise end up being thrown away and giving it to people who need it.
What have you learned from the experience?
We throw out so much usable food. It was shocking to see what I was picking up that was no longer considered sellable: pre-packaged sandwiches, hardboiled eggs, energy bars, muffins, and baked goods.
Do you regularly volunteer for this organization or others? If so, how do you volunteer?
I had previously volunteered with 412 Food Rescue dropping ready-made meals off to people at their homes, kind of like a Meals on Wheels.
How can others get involved with your volunteer organization?
If any other Pittsburgh Publicis Groupers want to get involved, check out 412foodrescue.org