Beer Made with Bread?
Join Us for the Launch of This Unique Brew
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Something's brewing with Saving Grace, and we are excited to introduce our newest project!
Join us on Thursday, Oct. 25, for the launch of our Saving Grace Brew -- featuring a Dunkelweiss beer created by Brickway Brewery & Distillery using excess bread for a portion of the grain needed in the brewing process.
Be among the first to try this unique beer that has a terrific flavor! A portion of the price of each pint of Dunkelweiss beer sold will go to Saving Grace to support our work to feed the hungry in our community with excess perishable food.
Saving Grace partnered with Brickway to create a great beer using surplus bread that otherwise would go to waste.
The launch event takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. at Brickway, 1116 Jackson St. Plan on arriving early, as supplies of this special beer are limited. Then, share your thoughts on the beer and/or food waste on our social media pages or leave a comment at the event.
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Five Years of Feeding the Hungry and Saving Our Landfills
2,687,820 meals to feed the hungry - using excess healthy perishable food that otherwise would have been thrown into dumpsters.
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Saving Grace board members celebrate the organization's fifth birthday. They are, front row, from left, Denise Hill, Beth Ostdiek Smith, Laurie Hellbusch, Leslie Fischer; back row, Peggy Dunn, Summer Miller, Lonnie Michael Jr., Erik Bird and Lenli Corbett. Not shown, Michael Hemenway.
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That's the impact Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue has made duri
ng its first five years of operations with a simple, yet powerful, mission: Connect excess perishable food from local food purveyors to local nonprofits that feed our hungry, while raising awareness and educating the community on food waste and hunger.
The grassroots nonprofit agency founded by Beth Ostdiek Smith in 2013 celebrated its fifth birthday on Sept. 30. Operations began with one refrigerated truck and professional driver who picked up excess perishable food from three local businesses and delivered it the same day - free of charge - to three food pantries. Today, Saving Grace
picks up donations from 51 locations - grocery stores, restaurants, caterers, event centers, convenience stores, wholesalers and schools.
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Saving Grace team members are Audrey Riddle, Stacey Lee, Tracy Wells, Beth Ostdiek Smith, Sherry Thompson, Michael Magnuson and Judy Rydberg.
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The donated fruits and vegetables, dairy products, prepared and prepackaged meals, meats, grain products and other healthy foods are delivered to a
network of 37 nonprofit partner agencies
operating at 40 locations. These after-school programs, food pantries, shelters, transitional living facilities, senior centers, on-site meal programs and health clinics feed some of the most challenged children, seniors, veterans and families in the Omaha area.
"Saving Grace has provided a collaborative and unique approach in donating food to Omaha's most vulnerable citizens," says Lonnie Michael Jr., a Saving Grace board member since 2013. "Providing healthy perishable food options to communities who could not otherwise afford it is a game changer in our city."
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Saving Grace Receives Food Day Award
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| Beth Ostdiek Smith receives Saving Grace's Food Day Omaha award from Brian O'Malley. |
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Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue was recognized as the Nonprofit of the Year at the Third Annual Food Day Omaha Awards. Food Day Omaha presented awards in six categories on Oct. 6.
Food Day Omaha is an annual celebration of local food that's healthy, affordable, and produced with care for the environment, farm animals and the people who grow, harvest and serve it. The Food Day Omaha awards recognize the hard work and vision of organizations and individuals leading the charge locally.
Special thanks to Food Day Omaha for the award, and to everyone who voted for Saving Grace.
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CROP Walk Proceeds Support Saving Grace
Despite the cold, snowy weather, a Saving Grace team joined others who took part in Omaha's CROP Hunger Walk on Oct. 14.
The CROP Hunger Walk helps raise awareness and funds to end hunger one step at a time around the world and here in our community. Funds raised support global efforts to end hunger, with 25 percent of the proceeds going to local organizations. Saving Grace was selected as one of the two recipients of this year's local proceeds.
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You're Invited to Grace Sharing at Whole Foods
Saving Grace will share a little grace with Whole Foods on Sunday, Nov. 18. This Grace Sharing event is a way to recognize our food donors who provide their excess perishable food to feed the hungry, and also to educate the public about food waste and hunger in our community.
Visit Whole Foods between 1 and 3 p.m. to meet Saving Grace team members, express your appreciation to Whole Foods, and learn how you can make an impact on food waste in your own life by taking simple steps, such as eating leftovers.
Whole Foods has been a food donor partner since shortly after Saving Grace began operations in 2013. Between October 2013 and September 2018, Whole Foods donated 191,280 pounds of healthy excess meats, produce, dairy items and grain products to feed the hungry. Value of this donated food is more than $330,000.
Watch for upcoming Grace Sharing events to be held at other locations in 2019.
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Fun Ways to Support Saving Grace
Whole Foods One Dime at a Time:
Shopping at Whole Foods for the holidays - or anytime between now and the end of December? Bring your own bags and then donate your 10-cent-per-bag refund to Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue. We are grateful for Whole Foods' One Dime at a Time program that provides an incentive for customers to eliminate single-use plastic bags and help their communities.
Kendra Gives Back Party:
Join us for a Kendra Gives Back Party on Wednesday, Nov. 7, between 4 and 7 p.m. Enjoy sips, sweets and jewels - and support Saving Grace.
Twenty percent of all proceeds during this time will go to Saving Grace. Can't make it to the event? You can still contribute by placing a phone order on Nov. 7 by calling 531-301-6860. Your order will be shipped at no additional cost.
Kendra Scott opened in August in Village Pointe near Scheel's. The new boutique features a collection of jewelry, beauty and home décor items, and the Kendra Scott Color Bar™, a one-of-a-kind interactive experience that allows customers to create custom jewelry in minutes and leave with it in hand.
Fresh Thyme Giving Bag Program:
Saving Grace has been selected as the nonprofit for Fresh Thyme Farmers Market's Giving Bag program during November. Every time a reusable Giving Bag is sold that month at any of the Omaha locations, Saving Grace will receive $1.
Fresh Thyme locations are at 14949 Evans Plaza, 17550 Gold Plaza and 13215 West Center Road. All three stores also donate their excess perishable food to Saving Grace. We appreciate their support of our mission!
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"I became involved with Saving Grace because the mission is important and
Beth's passion is contagious."
Denise Hill, PPIC Insurance
Saving Grace Board Member
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Help Us Feed More Hungry Bellies!
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