Help Your Neighbors Overcome Hunger This Fall

1 in 8 Arizonans struggle with hunger.

This is nearly one million of our neighbors — yours and mine, that can’t afford or access good food.

Neighbors like Harriet.

Harriet’s life wasn’t so different from yours or mine. She worked at a big company, had a master's degree, and was dreaming of a future where her and her husband could retire. Like many of us, she put money away for a rainy day, believing that day would never come.

But by 2020, Harriet’s stable life unraveled.

Harriet at Hope Women's Center

Harriet’s story is a stark reminder that the line between stability and crisis is thinner than we often think. One day, Harriet was blindsided when her husband asked for a divorce. With her successful career, Harriet believed she’d be okay on her own. And for a while, she was. But then she got sick. The illness not only took a toll on her health but also led to the loss of her job.

“My life exploded,” Harriet shared, describing how her world crumbled around her. She quickly exhausted her savings, applying for disability and food benefits just to make ends meet while she figured out her next steps.

It wasn’t enough.

Like a growing number of Arizonans, she found herself falling further behind. As government benefits related to the pandemic were cut, the cost of housing, groceries, and other essentials continued to rise. Every month, the gap in her budget grew a little wider, pushing her closer to the edge.

Volunteers at Hope Women's Center

Older adults like Harriet and children are often forced to skip meals or choose unhealthy, inexpensive foods just to get by. Meanwhile, food waste remains a massive issue, with good food making up 24 percent of landfills. It’s absurd that so much edible food from grocery stores, restaurants, and hotels gets tossed when nearly one million Arizonans need it now.

This is where you come in.

Waste Not is committed to eliminating hunger. We work tirelessly to rescue millions of meals from businesses across the Valley and deliver them to over 75 partner nonprofits, including  Hope Women’s Center where Harriet has sought assistance in counseling, classes, and a weekly food box thanks to our partnership.

Harriet with her weekly food box

Because of our food rescue model, it doesn’t take much to make a big difference. Just $219 — or a monthly gift of $18.25 — can deliver a year’s worth of healthy meals to someone like Harriet. And you’ll be sharing more than just food; you’ll be sharing hope — the hope to carry on and rebuild.

You may never meet the children, parents, and seniors your gift will help. But please know that your generosity will leave a lasting impact, offering comfort and sustenance to those who need it most. Can they count on your life-changing gift today?