Benefits

  • Access a unique customer base by Participating in RLC Restaurant Week - a week where the +10,000 volunteers and supporters of RLC pledge to only eat at RLC-partnered food establishments.
  • Advertise your partnership and location across +40,000 volunteers, partner network members, newsletter subscribers, social media followers, and supporters of RLC.
  • Become media partners highlighted on local, regional, and national TV and print media
  • Increase customer loyalty through your company's brand association with our common sense, green, social mission of RLC.
  • Receive enhanced tax savings through IRC Section 170(e)(3), through which food donors can receive enhanced tax deductions which can allow you to receive substantially more than your general deduction. RLC can assist you with generating documentation to allow you to take these enhanced tax deductions easily. More information on this can be found here.
  • Manage your food waste with data sent to you monthly with food donation amounts broken down by date.
  • Reduce your food disposal costs by donating excess food that would otherwise be thrown out.
  • Feed the hungry with your excess food at no risk instead of throwing it out.
  • Reduce methane gases that are more than 30 times worse than CO2 that result from food waste in landfills.
  • Eliminate the waste of natural resources of land, water, and energy used to produce and transport the food you made.
RLCDecal
  • Receive complementary door decal when you partner with us.
  • Let everyone know that your business is working tireslessly to feed the hungry.
  • Additionally, this will allow for our volunteers to easily identify your resturant during RLC Resturant Week.

Testimonials

Baz is a neighbourhood restaurant with close ties to the community. RLC has been a wonderful partnership for us to assist those in need of fresh food in our own community. The daily contribution pickup process has been easy and seamless for our staff and we have met so many nice volunteers along the way.

- Owner, Baz Bagel and Restaurant

What a positive impact their generosity is having on the lives of our seniors and kids here at Hartley! ...RLC and the food donor's generosity is proof that the fastest way to a person’s heart is through their stomach!

- Jil Novenski, Development Coordinator at the Hartley House

Partnership

The time and effort you spend on cooking great food shouldn't be sent to the trash at the end of the day just because it is leftover - especially when someone needs it more than the garbage can!

We want to help get your excess food to those who need it the most by sending our volunteers to pick it up directly from your location on a regular basis, at whatever time is most convenient for you.

All you need to do is package the food and let our volunteers in the door to pick it up! Reduce your food disposal costs, save money on enhanced tax deductions, and increase your positive brand association by donating your leftover food to RLC. To partner with us, send us an email at info@rescuingleftovercuisine.org

When you cater lunch, meetings, or other events, consider donating leftover food to the hungry!

You go through all the trouble of providing great lunch to your employees or team members. Instead of sending what is left over to the trash, we want to help you make sure this food goes to the people who need it.

It's easy - after you sign up as a partner with us, you can submit a day-of request by 2:30 PM when you have leftover food during the week, and we'll send a rescuer directly to your office between 2-5 PM to pick it up and deliver it to a homeless shelter.

For a nominal fee, your company will make a huge impact by feeding food insecure individuals in your neighborhood!

Simply e-mail us at info@rescuingleftovercuisine.org with the name of your organization, an estimate of the amount and type of food you have leftover and we can begin to talk about delivery logistics. We can work with irregular or ad hoc schedules and do not impose minimum weight requirements for pick up.

Do you have an event coming up? Make your event extra special by donating the excess food to the hungry! We rescue food from all types of parties, Bar Mitzvahs, Sweet Sixteens, Corporate Events, and Weddings!

All the great food you go through the trouble of procuring for your guests at these events can have a second life with those who are hungry and in need. We work closely with your catering company to make for a seamless pickup and donation.

Before we describe how to get started with us, here are some best practices to minimize excess food even before you donate:

  • Conservatively manage food and beverage order.
  • Serve plated meals where possible
  • One choice of food, or choices decided in advance, decreases food waste.
  • Do not have too many food options on a break station or buffet

To donate your excess food:

  • All food donated must be purchased from a licensed food vendor.
  • Minimize food that leaves the kitchen
  • Re-fill buffet dish only as necessary – do not be afraid of an empty dish.
  • Use smaller platters and food vessels on buffets.
  • Engage with RLC in advance to discuss pick-up times and packaging.
  • Food must be delivered to shelters within two hours of “temperature danger zone” (41oF - 140oF).
  • Hold on to packaging so food can be easily re-packaged for donation.
  • Discuss food options that lend themselves to donation.

FAQ

I’ve asked a hotel/caterer about donating food in the past, but was told I couldn’t do it?

This is incorrect, food donation IS possible at NO RISK to you or your company for donations made in good faith. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 "exempts those who make good faith donations of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations that feed the hungry from liability for injuries arising from the consumption of the donated food." If you or your company have any questions, click here for a list of great resources about Food Donation.

That’s great! But how do I get a hotel or caterer on board with donating?

As the owner of the food, you have the right to say what happens to it, as long as it passes New York State Health Guidelines. The easiest food to donate is food that hasn’t left the kitchen. Be reasonable; don’t expect them to be OK with donating sushi that has been sitting out for an hour.

Now What?

Email info@rescuingleftovercuisine.org or call RLC at 646-592-2229 and mention that you are interested in events food donations, and talk to your food provider in advance telling them you are working with RLC. Work with your food provider to come up with a menu that lends itself well to donation (for example: room temperature or cold items). Hotels and caterers are almost always willing to work with you on this wonderful initiative, and they want to keep you, their client, happy.

Our Partners