Boston Food Rescuers Aim to Combat Waste, Feed the Needy

Volunteer-led program collects surplus groceries from local stores to distribute to organizations serving the food insecure

Apr. 10, 2026 at 7:08pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic grocery item such as a loaf of bread or carton of milk, repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the community-driven efforts to rescue surplus food and combat waste in Boston.A vibrant pop art celebration of the community-driven efforts to rescue surplus food and combat waste in Boston.Boston Today

Food rescuers Jeff Schwartz and Virginie Forget work with the nonprofit Food Rescue US-Boston to collect surplus groceries from local stores like Trader Joe's and deliver them to organizations that serve the needy, such as housing shelters and food banks. The program aims to combat both food waste and food insecurity in the Boston area.

Why it matters

Food waste is a major environmental and social issue, with 46% of food waste in Boston caused by people buying more than they can consume. Meanwhile, over 2 million Massachusetts residents face food insecurity. Programs like Food Rescue US-Boston help address these twin problems by redirecting surplus food to those in need.

The details

Schwartz and Forget, along with other volunteers, regularly pick up donations from stores like Trader Joe's and deliver them to local shelters and food banks. They use an app to coordinate rescue efforts and rely on the help of store staff and other volunteers to load and transport the food. The program has expanded from Boston to surrounding towns, and the new director, Forget, is working to raise awareness and grow the organization's reach.

  • On March 19, Schwartz and Forget collected surplus groceries from the Trader Joe's on Boylston Street.
  • Forget took over as the new director of Food Rescue US-Boston in February 2023.

The players

Jeff Schwartz

A volunteer with Food Rescue US-Boston who helps collect and transport surplus groceries to local organizations.

Virginie Forget

The new director of Food Rescue US-Boston, who joined the organization in 2023 after meeting with the previous director, Charlie Burns.

Ann DeBiasio

A fellow Food Rescue US-Boston volunteer who moved to Boston in August and wanted to get involved in the community after retiring.

Food Rescue US-Boston

A local chapter of the national volunteer-based nonprofit Food Rescue US, which aims to combat food insecurity and food waste by recovering donated food from cafes and grocers and distributing it to organizations that serve the needy.

Trader Joe's

A grocery store that donates surplus food to Food Rescue US-Boston, which the volunteers then pick up and deliver to local shelters and food banks.

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What they’re saying

“We are a bread basket to ourselves and could be to the world.”

— Jeff Schwartz, Volunteer, Food Rescue US-Boston

“People aren't aware of what a big problem it is.”

— Virginie Forget, Director, Food Rescue US-Boston

“People at both ends are extraordinarily helpful.”

— Jeff Schwartz, Volunteer, Food Rescue US-Boston

What’s next

Food Rescue US-Boston plans to expand its rescue operations to neighboring towns beyond Boston in the coming months.

The takeaway

Programs like Food Rescue US-Boston are making a tangible impact by redirecting surplus food from grocery stores to organizations that serve the food insecure, helping to address both food waste and food insecurity in the Boston area.