New Refrigerated Truck Features Updated Look 
If you are up early enough in Omaha, you may spy one of our five refrigerated vehicles on the road to local food vendors. Our newest truck is sporting a refreshed look. “We are launching our Nourishing People, Nurturing the Planet initiative to bring awareness to the enormous problem of wasted food. Our goal is to enlist many more food vendors to donate their surplus perishable food instead of throwing it away,” says Beth Ostdiek Smith, founder and CEO. “Our refreshed branding and truck design were important first steps.”

Our fleet of vehicles and professional drivers/food ambassadors are central to our food rescue program and serve as rolling billboards. A new truck was added this fall in preparation for recruitment of new food donors. The truck was purchased with support from the Harper Family Foundation. “The Harper family supports our work to create a more sustainable food system. Their gift not only helps us keep our fleet updated, but also helps fund our outreach and education in the community,” Smith says.

The truck design includes a new Saving Grace logo that is more representative of our work. The utensils in our logo were re-imagined to visually represent both the environmental and social impact of Saving Grace’s work, as well as the love that goes into the company’s mission. The newest truck still sports a graphic of our iconic child, but with a more polished and modern overall design to convey who we are.

Shown in photo, from left, Randy Hansen, field manager; Beth Ostdiek Smith, CEO, president and founder; Betsy Murphy, Dan Murphy and Chris Murphy of the Harper Family Foundation.
Working to Create a More Equitable Food System 
Did you know nearly 60,000 residents of Douglas County were food insecure in 2020, according to the latest numbers from Feeding America? While that translates to 10.5% of the county, hunger impacted some segments more than others.

Nearly 23,000 children, or 15.8% of all kids in the county, faced food insecurity. The overall rates were higher for Blacks (31.0%) and Latinos (21.0%) than for Whites (7.0%).

One of Saving Grace’s goals this year is to grow and evaluate programs for creating a more just, equitable and sustainable food system. “We believe that everyone should have access to nutritious, fresh food,” says Beth Ostdiek Smith, founder and CEO. “Our focus is providing healthy perishable foods to our nonprofit partner agencies that serve some of the most challenged seniors, children, families and individuals in our community. This also keeps food out of our landfills, where is creates harmful greenhouse gases.”

Read our blog post to learn more about how Saving Grace is making a difference.
Omaha Hunger Experience Tickets Are Available
Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue and the Stephen Center, along with presenting sponsor American National Bank, will bring home a discussion of hunger and homelessness in our community during the fourth annual Omaha Hunger Experience on November 10.

Held in conjunction with Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, the event includes dinner with a twist. Participants will receive a take-home gourmet meal suitable for four, along with one meal representing what someone experiencing poverty may eat. An activity in the kit helps families and friends explore these problems around the table.

Tim Wyatt Promoted to Lead Driver
Congratulations to Tim Wyatt, who has been promoted to field lead driver. In his new position, Wyatt will provide back-up to Randy Hansen, field manager, when he is off or working out of the field.

Wyatt has been a driver/food ambassador since October 2020. 

"The biggest impact Saving Grace is having on our community is the kindness of humanity," Wyatt says. "Letting the world know that there still are good people in the world. Food is one thing that brings people together and with the donations from different entities, it’s making Omaha a better place to live."  
Saving Grace in the Community
Dining for Good

Participants in Saving Grace’s August 15 Dining for Good fundraiser experienced how delicious rescued food can be as they enjoyed a gourmet meal at Dante.

Some 115 attendees had dinner with friends and/or family as they supported Saving Grace’s work. The event raised more than $37,000 that will help keep Grace’s five refrigerated vehicles on the road as our drivers rescue nutritious, excess perishable food from a network of business vendors and deliver it to nonprofit partner agencies that provide it to those in our community who are food insecure.
Memorial Golf Tournament

Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue was the beneficiary for the Greg Cutchall Memorial Golf Tournament. Some 160 golfers took part in the September 7 tournament, which was held at Tiburon Golf Course. Saving Grace volunteers helped at various locations throughout the day.

“We are honored Greg and the Cutchall family selected Saving Grace as their nonprofit partner for the 14th annual charity golf tournament and the first that is a memorial to Greg, a longtime friend who believed in mission of our organization,” said Beth Ostdiek Smith, CEO, president and founder.