Airport retail operators donate food to serve local communities
PITTSBURGH – One in seven people in the U.S. is food insecure and more than 40 percent of food produced ends up in landfills. Pittsburgh International Airport is working to be part of the solution to end food waste through a new partnership established by Fraport Pittsburgh with 412 Food Rescue, one of the fastest-growing food recovery organizations in the United States.
“Food waste is a moral problem when so many of our neighbors are going hungry,” says Leah Lizarondo, 412 Food Rescue Co-founder and CEO. “We are excited to work with Pittsburgh International Airport and Fraport Pittsburgh in their sustainability efforts and goal to ensure that viable food does not go to waste.”
Several operators have joined the effort: Starbucks, Hudson News, The Strip Market, Dunkin Donuts, Auntie Anne’s, Chick-Fil-A, Bruegger’s, TGI Friday’s and Cinnabon. 412 Food Rescue matches their donations to nonprofits serving residents in Imperial, Moon and surrounding areas. With twice-weekly pickups at the airport, 412 Food Rescue volunteers transport food that would otherwise be discarded, impacting not only hunger but also the environment.
“We are committed to 412 Food Rescue’s mission to help end food waste in the greater Pittsburgh region,” said Eric Sprys, Chief Commercial Officer, Allegheny County Airport Authority. “The organization was founded in response to the disconnect between food waste, hunger, and environmental sustainability. It is an honor to join their crusade with our retail partners in bringing food to those experiencing food insecurity in local communities.”
With the largest volunteer food transport network in a single urban region, 412 Food Rescue has rescued over 4 million pounds of food — representing more than 3.5 million meals. The organization works with some 400 food donor sites and over 500 nonprofits. Their scalable and replicable food recovery model eliminates friction from retail and nonprofit operations.
“412 Food Rescue’s innovative distribution model bridges the last mile, impacting access and food security at a local level,” says Ben Zandi, President and CEO of Fraport USA. “This type of forward-thinking organization enriches lives and communities. We thank our operators for their support and working to be part of the solution.”
412 Food Rescue’s approach has been featured in national media including NPR, Food & Wine, Saveur, Organic Life, Bust Magazine, Success Magazine and Civil Eats.
For a full story, visit http://www.flypittsburgh.com/newsroom/blog.
About Allegheny County Airport Authority
Allegheny County Airport Authority, which manages Pittsburgh International Airport and Allegheny County Airport, is committed to transforming Pittsburgh’s airports to reflect and serve the community, inspire the industry, and advance the region’s role as a world leader. Its 2017 Annual Report detailing growth and improved financial position can be found at www.flypittsburgh.com/AR17.
Pittsburgh International Airport serves nearly 9 million passengers annually on 17 carriers. Air Transport World named Pittsburgh International its 2017 Airport of the Year. Travel + Leisure and J.D. Power have again named Pittsburgh International a Top 10 Domestic Airport in 2018.
About Fraport USA®
Fraport USA is the developer and manager of the retail, food and beverage operations at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport and JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. A leading airport concessions model in North America, Fraport USA projects rank among the highest in per-passenger spending and receive accolades for innovation and customer service. For information, visit fraport-usa.com. Fraport USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide, the global airport company based in Frankfurt, Germany. For information about Fraport AG, visit fraport.com.
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