72 billion pounds of food is wasted each year, and this doesn't count consumer waste at home (Feeding America). Billions of pounds of food gets wasted at restaurants, in grocery stores, and left in fields. Food banks and pantries across the nation are working to reduce this waste, and we are no different.

At Hays County Food Bank, we are passionate about reducing food waste.

• Our vans go out 6 days a week on food rescue runs to local grocery stores and restaurant partners.
• We rescue nearly 60,000 pounds of food each month, most of which is good food that we can send out to our distributions and to partner agencies.
• Local farmers and gardeners are encouraged to bring in good, excess produce that they can neither eat nor sell.

We are always looking for new food rescue partners. Are you a restaurant owner, farmer, grocery store manager, or food manufacturer? Fill out our application or contact us for more info.

What happens when we find a rotten apple or moldy bread? We pass it along to someone who can use it!

• Less than 10% of rescued food was unfit for human consumption.
• Most of this food was donated to partners who can use it for animal feed or composting to produce even more good food. 
• This year, we have given more than 26,000 pounds to partners who could utilize it on their farms and in their gardens.

Become a Refuse Partner

We would love to add more partners to this program. We do require that you pick up from our location, and we do prefer you to have a somewhat set schedule. Please contact us at (512) 392-8300 x235.

Hays County Food Bank isn't just about reducing food waste; we care about our carbon footprint as well!

• Cardboard boxes are flattened and either placed in recycling or driven to Green Guys Recycling.
• Labels for distribution boxes are created using scrap paper.
• Everything that can be recycled is, including food packages, newspapers, bottles, and more.
• Most marketing is done digitally, thereby reducing paper usage.
• Client intake is done on computers, reducing the need for paper applications.
• Most office equipment is donated second-hand supplies, giving them second life.