Moving? Don't Throw Your Food Away Buffalo, Donate It

It's a nationwide effort that began with a New Jersey moving company noticing the amount of food left behind in clients’ fridges when moving and suggesting they donate that food to local food banks.

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Over 1,050 moving companies and 22 million pounds of food later, Adam Lowy—founder of Move for Hunger—has turned leftovers into a nationwide charity.

“When people move, they throw away a whole bunch of stuff: food, clothing, furniture, you name it,” Lowy told TODAY. “And what bothered us was the perfectly good, nonperishable food that was getting left behind in the pantry, or simply thrown in the trash.”

Think about it...you’re trying to get all the little odds and ends, pots and pans from your kitchen into a limited number of boxes, the last thing you want to think about is packing up 6-month-old canned peas and dried spaghetti.

“Moving’s stressful, you know? It’s not a fun experience, there’s a lot going on,” Lowy said. “And we started by asking a very simple question: ‘Do you want to donate your food when you move?'”

That question led to the creation of Move for Hunger, which links moving companies with food banks in their area, to reach as many tenants and homeowners as possible about the impact they can make by donating their food before they move.

Move for Hunger operates across the USA and Canada, and tries to hold special events—such as food drives and holiday-themed collections.

Hunger affects one in six American children, and it’s only gotten worse during the pandemic.

In Lowry's first month he managed to collect 300 pounds of food, begging the question,