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Our day at Waste Not starts at 5 a.m. when Angel Castellanos, one of our dedicated Professional Drivers, is already on the road before dawn. He’s heading over to the Salad and Go Central Kitchen in Phoenix, whose charitable program fights hunger by donating hundreds of pounds of nutritious food every week.
By the time Angel arrives, Salad and Go Team Members led by Fabian Martinez, the Director of Central Kitchen Phoenix Operations, have the food packed and ready for us. This week's shipment includes fresh ingredients for 1,500 salads—each one destined for St. Vincent de Paul, a critical partner in our mission to eliminate hunger
“Salad and Go Charities helps our team ensure that everyone has access to healthy food,” says Megan Murphy, Community Programs Specialist at Salad and Go. “It’s really meaningful to know we can make a difference, one meal at a time, across the state.”
With two pallets of food loaded and a heartfelt "thank you" from our team, Angel is back on the road, arriving at St. Vincent de Paul before 6:30 a.m. The ingredients are quickly offloaded and whisked into the kitchen, where the next phase begins.
St. Vincent de Paul’s kitchen buzzes with activity as staff prepare for the “salad build.” Large containers of Salad and Go’s fresh ingredients are lined up assembly line-style, ready to become hundreds of individually packaged meals.
“At St. Vincent de Paul our mission is to feed, clothe, house, and heal. And feed is first because we really feel that if you’re hungry, you can’t be successful,” says Danielle McMahon, Chief Operating Officer at St. Vincent de Paul. “Waste Not has helped us to feed our community through their food rescue program and through Salad and Go Charities.”
By 8:30 a.m., the kitchen begins to fill with volunteers—individuals, families, even corporate groups—all ready to help. For the next hour, they work together seamlessly, preparing and packaging each Salad and Go meal. By the end, the 1,500 salads are ready for distribution to St. Vincent locations around the Valley.
#GivingTuesday is Upon Us
With the help of innovative partners like Salad and Go, St. Vincent de Paul, and YOU, we can help ensure no one in our community goes hungry. Join us this Giving Tuesday to keep our community fed and flourishing. Your support helps make days like these happen, one meal at a time. Give today and be part of the change!
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