FreshRelay rescues near-expiration food from dollar stores and delivers it to food pantries, veterans, and elderly neighbors across Chicagoland. Five days before it expires. Zero days too late.
Stores pull food 5+ days before expiration. Most gets thrown out because there's no reliable pickup system for small-format retailers.
Veterans, elderly, and families in the same neighborhoods lack access to fresh, nutritious food. The gap is measured in blocks, not miles.
Big food banks focus on big grocers. Nobody is systematically rescuing from Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar.
A simple, repeatable system that turns waste into meals.
Dollar stores mark items approaching their sell-by date. FreshRelay schedules regular pickups so managers know exactly when we're coming.
Local volunteers pick up food and transport it same-day to distribution points. Short routes, quick handoffs, nothing sits in a warehouse.
Food reaches pantries, senior centers, and veteran service organizations within hours. Fresh, nutritious, and free.
FreshRelay prioritizes direct delivery to elderly residents and veterans who can't always make it to a food pantry. If they served their country or spent a lifetime building their community, the least we can do is bring dinner to their door.
We partner with VA facilities, senior centers, and veteran service organizations across Cook County to make sure food gets to the people who need it most.
Working with Greater Chicago Food Depository's veteran programs and local VFW posts to identify and serve veterans facing food insecurity.
For elderly neighbors with mobility challenges, FreshRelay brings food directly to their homes. No transportation barriers, no missed meals.
FreshRelay is building the food rescue infrastructure that dollar store communities have been missing. Starting in Hickory Hills. Growing across Chicagoland.