I founded the Food Recovery Club at my school after seeing a friend back home turn a simple idea into real impact. The concept was straightforward: too much good food gets thrown away, and too many people go without it. I wanted to do something about that. Not eventually, but now.

We began partnering with local restaurants and cafés to rescue surplus food that would otherwise be discarded. Instead of ending up in the trash, those meals are delivered to food banks across Manatee County. What started as a small initiative quickly became a consistent system, coordinating pickups, organizing volunteers, and making sure recovered food reached the people who needed it most.

So far, we’ve recovered over $4,000 worth of edible goods. What matters more to me is the mindset shift. Students aren’t just talking about service, they’re actively showing up, lifting boxes, making deliveries, and seeing firsthand how small logistical efforts can create meaningful change.

food recovery

Like many of the projects on this site, the Food Recovery Club sits at the intersection of systems and impact. It’s about identifying inefficiencies, building structure, and turning intention into action. And its proof that even simple ideas, executed consistently, can feed more than just ambition. They can feed people.