New partnership creates opportunities, challenges

June 6, 2016 – People struggling with hunger now have more healthy food choices due to the expansion of Oregon Food Bank’s Fresh Alliance program. Safeway joined the program in July 2015, integrating more than 100 stores over the course of 11 months. The Fresh Alliance program is designed to divert safe, edible grocery items (that might otherwise be composted or discarded) to food pantries.

“Adding that many stores in a year’s time was challenging and exciting,” said Katie Pearmine, Oregon Food Bank’s strategic sourcing manager. “We’ve learned a lot and are in the process of fine tuning the Fresh Alliance program to improve efficiency.”

In the first year of the program, Safeway stores statewide contributed more than 1.8 million pounds of produce, meat and dairy.

Since its inception in 2001, Fresh Alliance has diverted more than 80 million pounds of food from waste and compost, and has been replicated by food banks across the country. Fresh Alliance partners include Fred Meyer, Albertsons, Green Zebra Market of Choice, 7-11, Natural Grocer, QFC, Ray’s, Roth’s IGA, Target, Cash & Carry, Thriftway, Walmart and Whole Foods. Last year, the partners donated more than 14 million pounds of food, equating to more than 11 million meals.

Oregon Food Bank looks forward to developing more great partnerships to ensure everyone struggling with hunger will have enough to eat.