Novel food rescue program has volunteers deliver from store to food bank by app

Eat Happy Now, a food rescue organization, leverages technology to coordinate volunteers who collect surplus food for local food banks. Founded in Bellevue in 2022, the initiative expanded to Snohomish County in late 2024 and now has around a dozen active volunteers in the area. These volunteers pick up food from independent grocery stores and deliver it to organizations like Millennia Ministries and the Salvation Army. Retired volunteer Desmond Smith collects between 80-140 pounds of food weekly, using the app to ensure efficient communication with donating businesses. The organization's goal is to rescue 1 million meals by year-end, contributing to the fight against food insecurity affecting 10% of Washington residents.

Millennia Ministries highlighted that Eat Happy Now's support has transformed their meal offerings, allowing for culturally relevant options. The organization collected 675,000 pounds of food, equating to approximately 500,000 meals, and aims to expand its reach further. Founder Sharmila Rathinam hopes to significantly impact food insecurity in the state by 2026.