Food Justice Program
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Nearly 40% of all food in the U.S. is wasted!
In King County, it is estimated that over 243,000 people are food insecure. They don't have access to enough food or food of sufficient quality and nutrition to meet their basic needs. With the price of food rising, that number is growing, and our local food banks and service nonprofits are struggling to keep up.
At the same time, food waste makes up a significant amount of our municipal garbage. We produce over 150,000 tons of food waste in King County annually, of which an estimated 100,000 tons was perfectly edible. Good food is thrown out, and when it ends up in the landfill, it emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. King County's Cedar Hills Landfill is one of the top carbon-emitting landfills in the nation.
That's where we come in.
Sustainable Renton's Food Justice Program works by collecting good food at risk of being thrown out and getting it to the people who need it. We partner with a number of area grocery stores, community gardens, and food pantries to collect their surplus food, food that would be wasted due to miscalculating supply and demand. We then distribute that food through free neighborhood pantries, community centers, and service providers who cook free community meals.
In 2025 alone, we moved over 151,000 lbs of food!
Volunteer Today!
We need your help! Volunteers are the heart that makes this program possible. It's volunteers who do the actual work of gathering, sorting, and distributing food. We need folks who can go out and pick up food from our partner grocery stores, pick fruit and berries from local farms, stock our network of free pantries, deliver food to our service partners, dry and can fresh produce, and so much more!
Volunteer Calendar
Food Donations
While we are able to rescue many food items to feed our neighbors, there are a number of items harder to come by. If you'd like to donate something to our program, here's a list of items in high demand!
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Baby Wipes
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Feminine Hygiene Products
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Small tissue packs
Non-perishable and unexpired good such as:
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Dried or Canned Beans
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Shelf Stable Milk
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Canned Fruit, Vegetables, and Soups
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Rice & Pasta
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Cooking Oil
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Coffee, Tea, Milk
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Butter, Flour, Sugar
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Peanut Butter & Jams
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Cereal, Oatmeal, & Breakfast Items
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Chips, Granola Bars, and Snack Items
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Canned Meats (tuna, chicken, SPAM, etc...)
To inquire about drop-off times, please email aaron@sustainablerenton.org
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