Denver’s We Don’t Waste helps get fresh produce and prepared food to those in need - The Denver Post

During the recession, Arlan Preblud noticed community organizations struggled to put food on the table for those in need, so he came up with an idea to help them — with leftovers.

Now, almost a decade since Preblud first asked restaurants to donate food left over at the end of the night, We Don’t Waste delivers food from about 150 donors directly to 60 community organizations in Denver.

“Not only are we feeding those people who are food insecure in the community, but at the same time we’ve kept 8 million pounds of food out of the landfill,” Preblud said.

About 50%of the food the nonprofit organization delivers is fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy and a form of protein. It also delivers prepared food from caterers and sports venues, such as Coors Field.

When We Don’t Waste was started in 2009, Preblud delivered to food banks and churches using a Volvo station wagon. We Don’t Waste now has three refrigerated trucks to deliver food to organizations, such as Father Woody’s Haven of Hope.

Father Woody’s, which serves meals to about 225 people a day, uses food from We Don’t Waste to supplement what the organization receives from others, such as Food Bank of the Rockies.

“Without the collaboration with We Don’t Waste, there’s no way we would be able to do it in a costly way,” said executive director Brian Willie

Address: 5971 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216

In operation since: 2009

Number of employees: 10

Annual budget: $750,000

Percentage that goes directly to client services: 93%

Number of clients served in 2018: About 180,000

“It’s the pickup and delivery that is first-class for us,” he said. “We can concentrate on preparing and providing other services for our guests… and not have to worry about having to get that food that We Don’t Waste is going to bring us.”

Earlier this year, We Don’t Wate mapped about 50 food deserts — areas where it is difficult to buy fresh fruits, vegetables and other food — to see how they lined up with the areas to which the organization delivers.

After realizing there were areas it didn’t serve, We Don’t Waste started a mobile food pantry that now visits two locations — Focus Points Family Resource Center and Garden Place Academy — to provide residents with access to fresh produce, dairy and protein, Preblud said.

The organization has plans to expand the program by adding two more mobile markets in 2020, Preblud said.

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Denver’s We Don’t Waste helps get fresh produce and prepared food to those in need - The Denver Post
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