Sustainability is at the core of food banking.

Our mission is to feed people in need and mobilize our community to eliminate hunger.

In 1998, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank made a sustainability commitment when it broke ground on a brand new building and entered the LEED Pilot program, earning its certification in 2000.

The Food Bank’s service to the community has evolved over the years, but sustainability has remained at the core. The organization uses an efficient route design for its trucks, all of which leave the warehouse with a full load of deliveries, then return full of donations so they are never on the road empty.

“In FY22 all of our food rescue programs sourced 13,078,304 pounds of food that were donated to and distributed within our network.” said Kurt Lindsey, Food Recovery Coordinator, and member of the Food Bank Sustainability Committee. “Using the ReFED greenhouse gas calculator, that 13 million pounds of rescued food equates to taking 3,894 passenger vehicles off the road for one year in terms of GHG emissions reduced.”

13 million +

pounds, rescued annually

25%

of waste is diverted from the landfill

15%

of waste is recycled

Remaining committed to sustainability

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has a Sustainability Committee which meets monthly to discuss the organization’s ongoing efforts and work to meet its goals in waste reduction, energy use, internal policy, and other sustainability concerns. Through the committee’s work, the Food Bank has had several significant accomplishments.

In 2018 – 2019, the Food Bank participated in the Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge as a way to determine what the organization was doing well and how it can do more in the future. Through this challenge:

  • The Food Bank’s internal composting system came to life, reducing waste by 26 percent in one quarter.
  • The organization’s largest annual fundraiser, Empty Bowls became a zero-waste event.
  • Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has switched from single-use plastics to compostable materials for internal and external event.
In April 2022 the Sustainability Committee volunteered with Grounded Pittsburgh to help a local catering chef and educator in Duquesne build tables, plant trees and prepare their educational garden for the summer season.

Learn more about our sustainability efforts

How Do Food Banks Affect Climate Change?

How Do Food Banks Affect Climate Change?

The work we do has an impact on the people we serve. It also has an impact on our environment, through methods like waste reduction.

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Food Podcast: What happens to food that goes bad?

Food Podcast: What happens to food that goes bad?

Learn about our new partnership with Ecotone Renewables- one of our latest efforts to cut down on organic waste by using a new Seahorse Biodigester.

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Converting waste to fertilizer to benefit families in need

We’ve diverted more than 6,000 lbs. of waste from the landfill by sending organic waste to Ecotone Renewable’s biodigester!

READ MORE

As the Food Bank continues to design new ways to reach our neighbors facing hunger, is commitment to sustainability remains.

As part of this commitment, the organizations, warehouse expansion in Duquesne, PA is being completed with LEED sustainable building practices in mind.

Learn more.

P: 412-460-3663
E: [email protected]