SECOND SERVINGS OF HOUSTON

As Houston’s only prepared and perishable food rescue organization, Second Servings is addressing hunger and food waste in a creative, innovative way. With almost 20% of Houstonians facing food insecurity, and 40% of the available food supply ordinarily going to waste, rescuing perfectly edible surplus food for the people who really need it makes a lot of sense.

In 8 years of operations, Second Servings has rescued over $80 million worth of unsold and unserved food from more than 400 food donors (retailers, manufacturers, distributors, convention and sports venues, etc.), helping nourish more than 200,000 needy Houstonians annually through 140 local nonprofits (homeless shelters, food pantries, low-income housing, community centers, and others.) And diverting over 12 million pounds of food away from the landfill keeps the environment cleaner, since decomposing methane-emitting food is a major contributor to climate change.

Using refrigerated vans and a “same-day pick-up and delivery” model, Second Servings is able to maximize food freshness and minimize costs. Operating very efficiently, Second Servings delivers over $40 worth of food for every dollar it spends.

The nonprofits in Second Servings’ network serve a very diverse group of vulnerable populations, including survivors of domestic abuse and their children, disabled homeless seniors, at-risk youth, veterans, intellectually and developmentally disabled adults, adults in substance abuse recovery, low- income individuals and families, the chronically homeless, LGBTQ community, immigrants, refugees, and others.

Food rescue is practical, efficient, and essential for so many Houstonians who lack sufficient resources to have an adequate supply of nutritious food.