This article highlights the work of Barbara Bronstein, who founded the nonprofit Second Savings to fight both hunger and food waste. After noticing large amounts of untouched food at banquet and events, Bronstein realized that much of the food being thrown away was still safe to eat. She created a system to rescue surplus prepared food from businesses and deliver directly to charities and shelters. Ultimately, ensuring the food feeds people instead of feeding landfills.

Through countless partnerships with businesses, hotels, caterers, and volunteers, the organization collects excess food and transports it to services and nonprofits serving those facing food insecurity. This model shows that local collaboration and food recovery networks can dramatically reduce waste while helping community members.

Overall, Bronstein’s mission demonstrates how individuals and communities can turn everyday surplus food into a meaningful solution for both hunger and environmental sustainability.

This reminds me of the amazing work students are doing right here in the Fredericksburg community. At The University of Mary Washington, there are a handful of students who weekly dedicate their time and resources to make a similar impact right here. This is done through The Food Recovery Program. This program, led by Hannah Jadgchew, collects surplus food made by Campus Dining, and distributes this food to several community partnership sites. These sites assist families who are hungry and facing food insecurity.