Feeding Hungry Bellies, Rather than Landfills.
Message from the CEO
1 Million Pounds of Food Rescued in 2019
Together, we did it! In 2019, we hit a milestone of over 1 million pounds of healthy excess food rescued that fed our neighbors’ hungry bellies, not our landfills!

There are a number of other highlights of the year: Saving Grace was recognized nationally with the FBI’s Directors Community Leadership Award and we were chosen by new community partners, ReRuns R Fun and Metro Women’s Club, to receive funds as their charity of choice. Our friends at Kiewit provided us donated ICAN booth space to bring our work to our community. Last fall we partnered with Dante for our sixth birthday celebration, with Omaha Public Library for its Read It and Eat culinary conference and with the Stephen Center for the inaugural Omaha Hunger Experience dinner event.

I’m proud of the strides Saving Grace has made, thanks to your support. For an in-depth look at these accomplishments and more, watch for our Impact Report 2019, available on our website in April.

Let’s continue in 2020 to change the way our community thinks about surplus food. Together, we can ensure more nutritious perishable foods end up on dinner tables rather than in landfills. Together, we’ll help keep bodies and our environment healthy and happy.

Cheers!

Beth Ostdiek Smith
Founder and CEO
Food Totals Expand with Addition of Fourth Truck
During the month of December, Saving Grace reached two major milestones – 1 million pounds of food collected in one year and 4 million pounds of food rescued since operations began in October 2013.

The year ended with 1,077,684 pounds of healthy perishable foods collected in 2019, which brought the lifetime total to 4,019,728 pounds. Value of the food collected last year was nearly $1.9 million, and the lifetime value is nearly $7 million.

Addition of a fourth refrigerated truck and fifth professional driver/food ambassador in April allowed Saving Grace to grow operations. Last year’s total was a 19 percent increase over 2018, with new food donors added and some current food donors increasing the amount of food donated.
While the numbers are impressive, the real story is the lives impacted by having access to nutritious foods.

“The biggest thing is the fresh fruit,” said Dave of the Boys and Girls Club. “That is the last thing our families buy when they go to the grocery store because they can’t afford it. We really can’t either.” If fresh food is on the kids’ plates at dinner time, it’s because Saving Grace provided it. Otherwise, the club serves canned fruit.  
Help Feed 100 People Every Month
Set up a recurring monthly donation of $20 in 2020 and make a real difference in our community.

Your gift of just $20 will help feed 100 of our hungry neighbors each month - while keeping healthy food out of our landfills.

For less than the cost of an apple a day, you’ll help ensure nutritious fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy products, prepared meals, packaged sandwiches and more will feed hungry bellies rather than landfills.

Simply visit Saving Grace’s donate page on our website, savinggracefoodrescue.org, to make a recurring monthly gift of $20 – or any amount – today. Questions? Email Tracy.

Join Us for These Upcoming Events
  • March 21 – A guest guide from Saving Grace joins Omaha Culinary Tours for its tour of the Blackstone District, 2 p.m.

  • March 24 – “Food for Thought” happy hour provides a unique look at how Saving Grace matches donated surplus food with those in need, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Enterprise Center building. There is no charge to attend, but please RSVP to Tracy at 402-202-5405 or email her.

  • April 18 – Earth Day Omaha. Visit Saving Grace’s fun and educational booth, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Elmwood Park.

  • May 20 – Omaha Gives! Let your friends know about Saving Grace and support us with a donation that day at omahagives.org. 
"Saving Grace does so much good in our community. We gather perishable food and route it to food delivery experts - our nonprofit partners. Ultimately, we feed our hungry neighbors and keep valuable food out of the landfill. What mission could possibly be more meaningful or more resourceful?" 

- Tracy Wells, Saving Grace development director