As we head into the winter season, we’re filled with gratitude for the incredible impact our community of supporters, volunteers, and partners has made possible. Your dedication to reducing waste and helping those in need has enabled iHave iNeed to reach new heights in 2024, and we’re excited to share these achievements with you.
The numbers tell a powerful story of what we’ve accomplished together. Our dedicated volunteers have contributed a remarkable 586 hours through October, coordinating 14 weekly pickups from generous partners like Back Home Bagels, NOT Just Bagels, Egypt Star Bakery, 3 Men & a Bagel, and Wawa. These efforts have resulted in nearly 10,000 pounds of food rescued and redistributed to those who need it most. Even our board members’ and their friend’s and family’s home gardens have contributed to this success, providing several hundred pounds of fresh vegetables to local food banks during the summer and warm fall harvest.
We’re thrilled to welcome several new partners to our growing network. 3 Men & a Bagel in Trexlertown, PA has joined our weekly donation program, demonstrating incredible generosity with their leftover bagels. We’ve also established partnerships with the Whitehall Food Pantry at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and the Great Big Group Ride, which benefits the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley (PCFLV). Speaking of which, we were able to give those GBGR event t-shirts a second life by donating them to local organizations supporting the homeless.
Our recent partnership with the St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest exemplified the incredible impact we can have when our community comes together. What started with meaningful conversations about our mission during the expo at the Renaissance Hotel in Allentown transformed into direct action at the race itself. Thanks to the thoughtfulness of runners and race organizers, we collected over 100 pounds of cold weather clothing from the starting line and rescued over 1,000 pounds of fresh apples, sandwich rolls, and bottled water leftover from the event – all of which found their way to local food pantries.
Our surplus program continues to grow in exciting ways. We’ve established a steady rhythm of weekly milk, juice, and snack pickups from Northern Lehigh School District, while our partnership with Northern Lehigh Food Bank helps ensure that excess items find their way to organizations like the Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank, Operation: Address the Homeless, Allentown Rescue Mission and the fantastic distribution network of Dough2Door. The generosity of our community never ceases to amaze us – from Fitness Central Shop’s donation of 200+ pounds of clothing to the hundreds of gently used shoes from Lehigh Valley Road Runners events, every contribution makes a difference!
We’re particularly proud to announce that we’ve achieved Candid GuideStar Gold Transparency status for 2024, reflecting our commitment to accountability and trust. This achievement comes alongside other significant milestones, including a remarkable donation from Earth Breeze providing detergent for 30,720 loads of laundry. Their dedication to supporting the community and environment is unmatched.
Looking ahead, we’re evaluating an exciting new technology called the Food Rescue Hero platform, which combines technology, last-mile logistics, and community engagement to create a more efficient food recovery and redistribution network. We’re looking for volunteers interested in helping us evaluate this platform to enhance our coordination with charities, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers in Lehigh County.
Coming up in just over a week is our annual Thanksgiving bread and pastry rescue from Egypt Star Bakery, who donates several hundred pounds of fresh unsold items from the day before Thanksgiving. We pickup and deliver to local homeless shelters and outreach programs.
Your support makes all of this possible, and we’ve made it easier than ever to help sustain our mission. For just $1 a day – far less than a cup of coffee – you can become a sustaining donor and help ensure we can continue providing essential resources, coordinating with local partners, and covering our transportation and operational costs. Every dollar makes a difference in our ability to serve our community. Click this link to Become a Sustaining Donor Today!
Thank you for being part of our journey to create a more sustainable and compassionate community. Your support makes every rescue possible, and we’re grateful to have you as part of the iHave iNeed family.
Autumn 2024 Update
