Recently published news and opinions from Food Recovery Network
Largest Student-Led Organization Tackles Food Waste to Feed Hungry Families at San Francisco’s Biggest Tailgate Party
– As excitement builds for the Big Game in Santa Clara, local tailgate parties are set to take center stage. Among the festivities, Food Recovery Network (FRN) sees these events as vital opportunities to combat hunger in our communities. At Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate, Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and FRN will work together to ensure that no surplus food goes to waste, benefiting families in need in the Bay Area.
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
San Francisco, CA – As excitement builds for the Big Game in Santa Clara, local tailgate parties are set to take center stage. Among the festivities, Food Recovery Network (FRN) sees these events as vital opportunities to combat hunger in our communities. At Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate, Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and FRN will work together to ensure that no surplus food goes to waste, benefiting families in need in the Bay Area.
For the third consecutive year, Hellmann’s is partnering with FRN—which has recovered surplus food from the Big Game for multiple years—to rescue high-quality food from Big Game tailgates and redirect it to communities in need.
“We’re proud to partner once again with Food Recovery Network to make food recovery part of the Big Game experience,” said Jessica Grigoriou, Senior Vice President of Condiments Marketing in North America, Unilever. “By rescuing high-quality surplus food from events like Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate and inspiring people to see the value in their own leftovers, we’re showing how small actions can add up to real impact—because good food should be enjoyed, not wasted.”
Last year, FRN achieved remarkable success during the Big Game, recovering 12,348 pounds of surplus food from two Hellmann’s-supported recovery events in one day, equating to approximately 10,290 meals that were provided to the New Orleans Mission. The recovery included high-value items such as seafood, chicken, and butter—essential ingredients that significantly impact local organizations fighting hunger.
This year, FRN is ready to make an even larger impact in the Bay Area. FRN staff, alongside dedicated students and alumni from the University of San Francisco, Cal Poly, San Francisco State University, and Case Western Reserve, will be on-site at Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate. All recovered food will be donated to the Delancey Street Foundation and Samaritan House, vital resources for people experiencing food insecurity in the area.
Regina Harmon, CEO of Food Recovery Network, expressed her gratitude, stating, “Hellmann's has been unwavering in their support of our food recovery efforts over the past three years and in our mission to raise awareness about preventing food waste. Their partnership has been instrumental in our efforts to recover high-quality surplus food, enabling us to help local families experiencing hunger. Together, we are making a meaningful impact on both hunger and sustainability.”
FRN’s commitment to large-scale food recovery extends beyond the festivities of the football game. A recent partnership with Gaylord Hotels in Washington, D.C., and San Diego has resulted in over 100,000 pounds of food saved over the last few years. Ryan Verhulst, Hotel Manager at Gaylord National, stated, “Food recovery is essential to reaching our sustainability goals. As part of the Marriott family, we emphasize nurturing our world and reducing our environmental footprint. This includes decreasing our food waste and increasing our contribution to our community. Partnerships like the one we have with Food Recovery Network help us reach our goals while also giving back to local families in need."
For more information, please contact: Sarah Abboreno Corbin, 708-714-1357 (c), sarah.corbin@foodrecoverynetwork.org
***
Food Recovery Network (FRN) is the largest student-led movement recovering surplus food and ending hunger in the U.S. We unite 8,000+ college students, food suppliers, farmers, and local businesses across the U.S. in the fight against climate change and hunger by recovering surplus food from across the supply chain and donating it to local nonprofit organizations that feed people experiencing hunger.
About Unilever in North America
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods products, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.4 billion people every day. We have 128,000 employees and generated sales of €60.8 billion in 2024.
Our leading brands in North America include Dove, Hellmann’s, Vaseline, Degree, Axe, TRESemmé, Knorr, Nutrafol, Liquid I.V., Paula’s Choice, and Dermalogica.
For more information on Unilever U.S. and its brands visit: www.unileverusa.com
For more information on Unilever Canada and its brands visit: www.unilever.ca
It's the Big Game - Fight Food Waste in a Big Way
Fight food waste during the Big Game by using Food Recovery Network’s tips.
Make a commitment to fight food waste at home. Every action makes an impact.
Check your freezer and pantry. Plan to use items you already have to save money and cut down on surplus.
Shop smart. Calculate how much food you will need to serve, create a detailed shopping list, stick to your budget and opt for fresh and local.
Offer your guests leftovers. Have leftover containers available for your guests to enjoy your delicious efforts again.
Brush up on food storage tips. Learn to store and MORE LEFTOVERS and ingredients to save money and time.
Support Food Recovery Network’s efforts to end food waste, end hunger and make a positive impact on our climate.
Student-Led Food Recovery Network Tackles Hunger by Recovering Surplus Food from Player’s Tailgate
Santa Clara, CA – As anticipation builds for the Big Game in Santa Clara, Food Recovery Network (FRN) is excited to announce its ongoing efforts to convert tailgate festivities into a powerful opportunity to combat hunger in local communities. For the past six years, FRN has teamed up with Bullseye Events Group to recover surplus food from the Player’s Tailgate, ensuring that high-quality food does not go to waste but instead nourishes families in need.
FRN has successfully recovered over 16,000 pounds of food from this singular Big Game event over the past 6 years, providing more than 13,000 meals to individuals and families experiencing hunger in cities such as New Orleans, Las Vegas, Glendale, Los Angeles, Miami. That means FRN has also prevented 10.07 metric tons of CO2e from entering our atmosphere - that’s the equivalent of 25,000 miles driven by the average gasoline powered car.
“For Bullseye Event Group, the Player’s Tailgate has always been about more than creating an unforgettable game-day experience. It’s about being a responsible partner to the communities we touch,” said Kyle Kinnett, CEO of Bullseye Event Group. "For the sixth consecutive year, we’re proud to work alongside Food Recovery Network to ensure surplus food from this event is redirected to families in need rather than going to waste. This partnership reflects our belief that large-scale events can – and should – leave a positive social and environmental impact long after the final whistle.”
This year, volunteers from the University of San Francisco, along with alumni from schools such as Cal Poly, San Francisco State University, and Case Western Reserve, will be on the ground at The Player’s Tailgate to facilitate these crucial food recovery efforts.
FRN CEO Regina Harmon, “We can be part of a solution to what is, right now, a very big and deep problem of food insecurity. Eighteen million tons of food from consumer-facing businesses is wasted each year across the United States. If we each ensured the businesses in the circumference of our lives established a food recovery plan, our neighborhoods, and the neighborhoods the next town over, and the next state over, would transform right before our eyes. That is the power that we have. If we want it.”
With more than 200 college chapters nationwide and an active network of 8,000 students and partners, FRN is dedicated to advancing food justice through its three-tiered mission: recovering surplus food, reducing environmental impact by diverting food from landfills, and delivering high quality meals to individuals experiencing hunger.
In addition to its work at the Super Bowl, FRN's initiatives extend beyond the football field. A recent partnership with Gaylord Hotels in Washington, D.C., and San Diego has resulted in reaching a 100,000-pound recovery milestone in the past month. “Food recovery is essential to reaching our sustainability goals,” said Ryan Verhulst, Hotel Manager at Gaylord National. “As part of the Marriott family, we emphasize nurturing our world and reducing our environmental footprint. Partnerships like the one we have with Food Recovery Network help us achieve these goals while giving back to local families in need.”
Furthermore, we can all make a significant impact on reducing food waste in our homes, particularly during festive occasions celebrated across the country. Minnie Ringland, Senior Manager of Climate & Insights at ReFED, states, "Nearly 30% of our food supply goes uneaten, and that problem is on full display on days like Super Bowl Sunday, when there's more of a focus on serving your favorites than there is on what will be left behind. But when food waste accounts for nearly four percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, putting in an effort to limit waste—whether that's by being conscious of how much you prepare or taking steps to send leftovers home with guests—makes a difference!
As the Big Game approaches, the Food Recovery Network is calling on the community to join them in this vital mission to end hunger and promote food justice in Santa Clara and beyond.
**For more information about the Food Recovery Network and its initiatives, visit foodrecoverynetwork.org and contact sarah.corbin@foodrecoverynetwork.org .
Food Recovery Network (FRN) is the largest student-led movement recovering surplus food and ending hunger in the U.S. We unite 8,000+ college students, food suppliers, farmers, and local businesses across the U.S. in the fight against climate change and hunger by recovering surplus food from across the supply chain and donating it to local nonprofit organizations that feed people experiencing hunger.
Opening Soon: Community College Food Recovery Grant Application
Opening Soon: Community college food recovery grant application
Join our network of over 8,000+ college students, food suppliers, farmers, and local businesses across the U.S. in the fight against climate change and hunger by recovering surplus food.
Check back on February 19th for more information about our upcoming grant cycle.
To help expand FRN’s presence in community colleges nationwide, FRN is entering the third year of our community college grant program to help establish food recovery programs at community colleges across the U.S. Community Colleges will be selected to receive one year of technical and financial assistance to set up food recovery programs on their campus to begin the Fall of 2026. The grant recipients will also be awarded recognition and serve as models for how community colleges can play a vital role in helping feed community members in need. Read about our 2024 Cohort.
Community College Food Recovery Cohort Details
In order to receive funding, each community college will need one person who will be responsible for implementing this program and liaising directly with FRN.
For this grant, FRN national staff will:
Coordinate the purchase or donation of all relevant materials, including packaging, transportation, and all other logistics
Administer all aspects of work, including providing supplies, marketing, and staff and volunteers
Serve as liaison between food donation partners to ensure fair negotiation of cost and labor is accounted for in work
Serve as liaison between community partners
Share public learnings and data with project partners and our network of stakeholders
Recognize and promote partners and work on social media and to our network of stakeholders
Train relevant local food business professionals and school cafeteria staff on how to safely conduct food recoveries over the long term (as needed)
Make direct connections with FRN alumni and students at local colleges and universities to support project efforts (as needed)
This point of contact will:
Provide daily management of all project logistics, including onboarding of partners
Promote the program to the school community via flyers, emails, or whichever other communication channels are most appropriate
Support in coordinating food recovery program logistics, including securing the most appropriate physical space (as needed)
Help determine the pace, frequency, etc. of recovery efforts
Gather feedback on program from students and families to ensure we’re meeting the needs of the community
Provide relevant school data, such as number of students, to help better guide our work
Help facilitate connections with local partners to help onboard pilots and achieve our desired outcomes
Food Recovery Network's Chapter Showcase
Our work wouldn’t be possible without our incredible student leaders. Keep reading to learn more about a few awesome FRN chapters!
SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE
We are kicking off our Chapter Showcase with Springfield College! Since their inception in 2021, this chapter has recovered more than 5,865 lbs of surplus food from campus dining facilities. Springfield works with its on-campus food pantry, the Mary Ann Coughlin Pride Pantry, to ensure meals get into the hands of students. Each week, Rachel’s Table, the chapter's community partner organization, collects the remaining recovered food to distribute locally and to the Salvation Army.
"As a relatively newly established chapter of FRN, our primary focus has been recovering any surplus food from our dining hall to redistribute to our on campus food pantry and into the local community via our partnership with Rachel's Table," shares chapter leader Rianna Bottger. "Typically, five of us meet each week to recover the food. As we grow, we hope to be able to host more educational events for the general campus community regarding food waste and food recoveries."
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
The University of Pittburgh's FRN chapter has diverted almost 70,000 pounds of surplus food from landfills to people since 2014. Alongside recovering surplus food, this chapter engages with their community through events like bake sales, picnics, community partner nights, and more.
"Our chapter of Food Recovery Network at the University of Pittsburgh, Food Recovery Heroes, recovers food for many reasons," shares a student leader. "We all share a passion for fighting food waste and helping those less fortunate in our community. As college students we are constantly surrounded by food especially in our dining halls. So much of the food that gets mass produced never ends up being eaten. Our chapter is proud we are able to save that food from going to the landfill and help people in our community.”
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
Starting their food recovery journey in 2018, the University of Virginia's FRN chapter has recovered over 41,000 pounds of surplus food. The chapter works with hunger-fighting partner organizations like the Salvation Army, Food Sharing is Caring, and the Community Food Pantry to get surplus food to people instead of landfills.
"We recently switched our model this year, pivoting from primarily restaurant donors to collecting food from on campus dining locations," shares chapter leader Ibraheem Qureshi in the spring. "Despite this shift, we have still recovered over 1.5 tons of food this semester."
FRN at the University of Virginia also engages their campus community through unique events like potlucks, bonfires, bake sales, and more.
ohio state university
Since their inception in 2016, Ohio State University's FRN chapter has diverted nearly 40,000 pounds of surplus food from landfills to people. The chapter works with hunger-fighting partner organizations like the Starhouse, Gethsemane Food Pantry, NNEMAP, Open Shelter, Mid-Ohio Food Collective to get surplus food into the hands of people, not landfills
"Columbus has so many amazing organizations that help feed those who are struggling, so to help them get food to those who need it is truly rewarding," shares chapter leader Catherine Kogan. "I recover food, to help minimize our environmental footprint and help those who are struggling with food insecurity. Columbus is such a special city and to help give back to the community that has given me so much, while also flighting our environmental footprint is truly why I do it."
When they're not recovering food, the chapter hosts a plethora of engaging events for their chapter and community. This fall, alongside weekly meetings, the chapter hosted a vinyl painting social for members!
NC STATE UNIVERSITY
NC State University re-joined FRN's network in 2025 and we are so excited to have them back! From their pre-pandemic recoveries to now, this chapter has recovered almost 25,000 pounds of surplus food.
"Our organization has been involved with numerous partnerships over the years due to the many layers of food waste and hunger issues, so we have been able to learn about and educate others on the health, social, economic, environmental, and many other aspects associated," shares chapter leader Morgan Murdock. "We have continuously represented the organization well, which has helped us build strong foundations with our campus and community partners. I would say strong communication has been our best skill because it saves everyone time and resources when we all have a clear understanding. For volunteer recruitment, we were able to partner with some living/learning villages on campus to come volunteer with us because the opportunities are so close to where they reside, and the service relates to many different interests among students."
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis works with its on-campus food pantry to get surplus food into the hands of students. When they aren't recovering food, the chapter engages their volunteers and community through unique events. This year, in collaboration with WashU Living Well Center and the WashU Community Experiential Learning Center, the chapter hosted a cooking demonstration to show students how to make easy and healthy recipes that are budget-friendly.
University of Wisconsin at Madison
The University of Wisconsin at Madison's FRN chapter has recovered 46,405 pounds of surplus food since joining the network in 2016. This chapter recovers food from a number of local spots and donates it to The Crossing Campus Ministry.
When they aren't busy recovering food, this chapter engages its campus community by serving free meals to students on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Utah State University
Utah State University joined FRN's network in 2015, recovering 220,410 pounds of surplus food since then. This chapter recovers food both on and off-campus, donating to the Students Nutrition Access Center (SNAC) @ USU and the Cache Community Food Pantry. Utah State also hosts gleaning sessions, collecting surplus produce to be distributed to their partner agencies.
"Utah State University (USU) Student Nutrition Access Center (SNAC) started and hosted a mobile food pantry. With support from our community food pantry and the Utah Food Bank, we began a once-a-month event, which will be an additional resource for individuals, shares chapter leader Jonathon Walters. "This mobile food pantry is available to anyone who is a Utah resident and is the first mobile pantry in our county."
North Carolina A&T State University
Since it's inception in 2018, North Carolina A&T State University's FRN chapter has diverted almost 4,000 pouunds of surplus food from landfills to people. This chapter recovers and repackages extra meals from Williams Dining Hall after lunch and delivers it to the Interactive Resource Center (IRC), supporting individuals in Greensboro who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo joined FRN's network in 2022, recovering almost 200 pounds of surplus food since then. The chapter receives food donations through donor agencies like Cal Poly Crop Fields, First Fruit Farms, and the Cal Poly Dining Facility. They work with partner agencies SLO Food Bank and the Cal Poly Food Pantry to get that food into the hands of individuals in the community.
When they're not recovering food, this chapter hosts unique events to engage their volunteers and community. This fall, the chapter hosted a sustainable pumpkin carving and food safety training event, alongside a Halloween beach bonfire!
SUNY University at Buffalo
Founded in 2021, FRN at SUNY University at Buffalo has diverted over 80,000 pounds of surplus food from landfills to people. This chapter recovers food from multiple locations on campus, and donates it to their partner agencies -- the Salvation Army, Friends of Night People, Blue Table, Buffalo Love Community Fridges, and Campus Dining and Shops.
"We recover food to have an impact on our community," Ham continues. "By giving back to those who are in a rough spot, can't afford their families' next meal, or even do not have their own place to make a meal, we have the opportunity to give a better quality of life to people in our community through food that would have otherwise been thrown out."
Villanova University
FRN's chapter at Villanova University began in 2014 and has since recovered almost 35,000 pounds of surplus food. The chapter partners with the AIDS Care Group to distribute recovered food throughout their community. The AIDS Care Group is a social services group in Delaware County that provides care for the uninsured.
"Our FRN chapter is dedicated to recovery nights, and we do them every Monday-Thursday during the semester while students are on campus," shares chapter leader Ashton Szymanski. "We have a dedicated team, and one that cares about everyone in our community."
When they're not recovering food, Villanova's FRN chapter hosts a number of events to engage their community. One example is Greek Week, where the chapter partners with Greek organizations on campus to recover surplus food.
Montgomery County Community College
Rounding out our chapter showcase is Montgomery County Community College! Since its inception in 2024, this chapter has recovered over 4,000 pounds of surplus food. The chapter recovers food from its campus Hospitality Institute and distributes it through the Stock Up for Success Food Pantry and Manna on Main Street.
"Each month we are innovating new ideas to become more sustainable in recovering food," shares chapter leader Krystal Ledoux. "Also, each month we donate more and create from the food we recover. It's a pleasure to feed those on this campus and even more delightful to see the students enjoying it."
When they aren't busy recovering food, the chapter hosts innovative events to engage their community. This Fall, the chapter hosted an event called Pumpkins with a Purpose where they invited their campus Sustainability Club to learn about food sustainability and complete a hands-on recovery activity.