Waste Not Want Not

What Waste Not Want Not does

Waste Not Want Not is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food rescue organization founded in 1990 and headquartered in Orange Park, Florida. It operates a volunteer-driven food rescue model that collects surplus food from approximately 35 donor locations—including 15 Publix stores, six Wawa locations, five Starbucks, two Chick-fil-A, Trader Joe's, Panera, Pepperidge Farms, and Bimbo Bakery—and distributes it the same day to nearly 100 nonprofit partner organizations across 14 Northeast Florida counties. The organization employs 3.5 FTE staff and is supported by approximately 250-300 volunteers who contribute 450+ hours weekly, conducting 130 scheduled rescues per week and operating 363 days per year. The organization rescues roughly 1.75-2 million pounds of food annually and serves 15,000+ neighbors per week, with cumulative impact exceeding 27.5 million pounds of food shared since founding.

The organization runs no proprietary technology platform; logistics are handled through manual coordination by staff and volunteers using personal vehicles and one branded box truck. The product portfolio centers on the Food Rescue Program, Volunteer Program, and Food Distribution Partnership Program, supported by three annual fundraising events (Corks & Forks gala at $250-$350 per ticket, Tee'd Up to End Hunger golf outing, and Monthly Yard Sale), the recently launched Clay County Food Insecurity Task Force (CFIT) convening initiative, and an advocacy program. There are no patents, trademarks, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

Revenue is generated entirely through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships (tiered from $1,600 Friend of Waste Not to $10,000 Hunger Eliminator), partner fees (up to $225 per year), and event ticket sales; the organization explicitly does not purchase food or receive government subsidies. The FY2025 budget is $3,345,000 including the in-kind value of rescued food. Recent strategic activity includes the September 2024 appointment of Dr. Kathleen N. Spears as Executive Director, the June 2025 founding of CFIT, and a facility upgrade with ribbon cutting.

Name

Waste Not Want Not

Legal name

Waste Not Want Not, Inc.

Website

https://wastenotflorida.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Rescue and Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs) (EUAIAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Foodservice & Hospitality Waste Services (Non-hazardous, Back-of-house) (EUAIAGAE)

Keywords

• Food rescue services
• Hunger relief programs
• Volunteer food distribution
• Food waste reduction
• Community nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Orange Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food Distribution Partner Fees: Food distribution partners pay an annual fee of up to $225 per year for bi-weekly or weekly food shares.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Over 80% of donations go directly toward fighting hunger and poverty. The organization raises hundreds of thousands of dollars each year through individual donations, grants, special events, and corporate sponsorships. No government subsidies are received.
3. Special Events Revenue: Annual fundraising events including Corks and Forks gala, Tee'd Up to End Hunger golf outing, and monthly yard sales.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at various levels (Friend of Waste Not $1,600, Hunger Fighter $3,500, Hunger Eliminator $5,000) providing logo placement, VIP tickets, and program advertising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Waste Not Want Not is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rescues surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants, farmers, and caterers in Northeast Florida, then distributes that food through a network of nearly 100 food distribution partner organizations to hungry individuals and families. The organization operates a volunteer-driven direct transfer model without purchasing food or accepting government subsidies.

Product overview

Waste Not Want Not is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit food rescue organization operating exclusively in Northeast Florida, distinguished as the region's only hunger alleviation organization committed solely to food rescue. The organization does not purchase food or receive government subsidies. Its core portfolio centers on the Food Rescue Program, which coordinates volunteer-driven food collection from donors and distribution through nearly 100 partner organizations. Supporting programs include the Volunteer Program (mobilizing 260-300 volunteers for rescues and sorting), the Food Distribution Partnership Program, three annual fundraising events (Corks & Forks, Tee'd Up to End Hunger, and Monthly Yard Sales), the Clay County Food Insecurity Task Force (CFIT) coalition, and an Advocacy Program. The organization rescues approximately 2 million pounds of food annually and serves 14 counties in Northeast Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clay County Food Insecurity Task Force (CFIT): A cross-sector coalition founded in June 2025, bringing together healthcare providers, educators, faith leaders, local government, nonprofits, and community members to address food insecurity in Clay County.

Products and services

• Food Rescue Program Core service that coordinates rescue of approximately 2 million pounds of surplus food annually from over 35 donor locations through scheduled and last-minute pickups, then distributes it same-day to food distribution partners.
• Food Distribution Partnership Program Paid partnership program (up to $225 annual fee) for nearly 100 nonprofit organizations including soup kitchens, food pantries, backpack programs, and mobile meal services across 14 Northeast Florida counties.
• Volunteer Program Community engagement program recruiting and coordinating 250-300 volunteers who conduct 130+ scheduled rescues weekly, contributing over 450 volunteer hours per week to operations.
• Corks & Forks Annual Fundraising Event Annual September fundraising gala with ticket sales and corporate sponsorship tiers ranging from $1,600 (Friend of Waste Not) to $5,000 (Hunger Eliminator).
• Tee'd Up to End Hunger Golf Outing Annual spring golf tournament fundraiser supporting food rescue operations, featuring prizes, silent auction, and family activities.
• Monthly Yard Sale Fundraiser Recurring monthly yard sale fundraiser held on the first Saturday of each month to raise revenue and engage the community.
• Hunger and Poverty Advocacy Program Thought leadership and policy advocacy initiative that serves on boards and committees, supports partner advocacy, and works with elected officials on policies addressing hunger and poverty.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 million pounds of food rescued annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Clay County Food Insecurity Task Force (CFIT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Founded June 2025 by Waste Not Want Not as convener. Cross-sector coalition including healthcare providers, educators, faith leaders, local government, nonprofits. Works through committees on Systemic Change, Food Access, and Self-Sufficiency.
• Publix Super MarketscoreGTM or Marketing Partner15 Publix locations donate surplus food to Waste Not Want Not for rescue and distribution to hungry populations.
• Chick-fil-A (Wells Road and San Jose)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTwo Chick-fil-A locations donate surplus food including video coverage showing partnership to provide surplus restaurant food to those in need.
• Trader Joe's (Mandarin)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrader Joe's location donates surplus food for rescue operations.
• Starbucks (5 locations)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFive Starbucks locations donate surplus food including baked goods and prepared items.
• Wawa (6 locations)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSix Wawa locations donate surplus food for food rescue operations.
• Jacksonville JaguarssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerJacksonville Jaguars dining hall donates surplus food that would otherwise go to waste.
• Panera (Blanding OP, San Jose)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTwo Panera locations donate surplus baked goods and prepared foods.
• Pepperidge FarmscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPepperidge Farms donates surplus bakery products; rescued using organization's box truck.
• Bimbo BakerycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBimbo Bakery donates surplus baked goods for rescue and distribution.
• 4Rivers Smokehouse (Baymeadows, Orange Park)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerTwo 4Rivers Smokehouse locations donate surplus prepared foods.
• Clay County Emergency Food Assistance ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClay County government program partnering to distribute emergency food assistance through Waste Not's network.
• City Rescue MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoup kitchen in Duval County receiving rescued food to serve homeless and hungry populations.
• Feeding Northeast FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional food bank with shared distribution network; some partner organizations receive food from both organizations.
• Baptist Health ClaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare provider co-convening CFIT task force and hosting inaugural Hunger and Food Access Summit at Baptist Health Clay.
• Epic-Cure (St. Johns & Putnam)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood rescue organization serving St. Johns and Putnam counties as distribution partner.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Feeding Northeast Florida: Regional food bank serving the same Northeast Florida geography. Some downstream distribution partners receive food from both organizations, making it a natural operational peer and complementary counterpart in the local hunger relief ecosystem.
• Second Harvest of Silicon Valley: Large-scale food bank and rescue operator serving Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Comparable in volume and reliance on retail food donors and volunteer networks.
• City Harvest: New York City's largest food rescue organization, rescuing surplus food from restaurants, grocers, and farms for distribution to those in need. Closest large-scale urban food rescue operating model, with similar volunteer-driven logistics.
• Food Rescue US: National nonprofit dedicated to food rescue through volunteer-driven direct transfers from grocers and restaurants to agencies serving food-insecure people. Closest operating model analog given the focus on rescue rather than food banking.
• Philabundance: Greater Philadelphia region's largest hunger relief organization, combining food rescue with food banking. Comparable in scope of regional coverage and partnership with retail food donors.
• Foodbank of South Jersey: Regional hunger relief organization serving South Jersey, combining food rescue with food distribution. Comparable multi-county geography and donor mix of regional grocery and restaurant chains.
• Palm Beach County Food Bank: Florida-based hunger relief organization; Avery Cecere (Waste Not's Director of Mission Impact) previously worked there. Comparable Florida operating context with overlapping donor and partner profiles.
• DC Central Kitchen: Washington DC-based nonprofit that recovers unused food and prepares meals for those in need. Combines food rescue with culinary job training; comparable mission focus and donor base with restaurants and grocers.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National umbrella network of 200+ food banks and the dominant US hunger relief organization. While much broader in scope, sets the standards, funding, and donor relationships that regional food rescue organizations like Waste Not Want Not operate alongside.

Emerging players

• Rescuing Leftover Cuisine: National volunteer-powered food rescue nonprofit focused on connecting surplus food from restaurants to people in need. Smaller-scale but directly comparable volunteer-driven direct transfer model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wastenotflorida
• Facebookfacebook.com/wastenotflorida
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waste-not-want-not
• Instagraminstagram.com/wastenotflorida

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waste Not Want Not