Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue

What Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue does

Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in September 2013 by Beth Ostdiek Smith and headquartered at 4611 South 96th Street, Suite 154 in Omaha, Nebraska. The organization's core service is same-day perishable food rescue and redistribution: professional drivers operating a fleet of six refrigerated vehicles pick up surplus perishable food from 50+ food donor businesses across the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area (Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie Counties) and deliver it free of charge the same day to 45+ nonprofit recipient agencies, including food pantries, shelters, senior centers, children's programs, transitional living facilities, and community fridges. As of 2025 the organization had rescued 938,311 pounds of perishable food in a single year and 10,389,338 pounds cumulatively since inception, with a documented food type mix of roughly 40% produce, 22% grains, 19% dairy, 14% protein, and 5% miscellaneous items.

The supporting program stack includes the Community Fridge Project (outdoor refrigerators in food-desert neighborhoods providing 24/7 unattended access), a Food Donor Partnership Program with public recognition emblems and tax-deduction benefits, a Volunteer Program, and Food Waste Prevention Education delivered through community presentations and partnerships with Creighton University and Hillside Solutions. Technology is operational rather than software-native: the differentiators are refrigerated fleet logistics, scheduled and on-call pickup routing, and same-day direct delivery without warehousing. No AI, machine learning, API, or mobile application capabilities are disclosed. Marketing and donor outreach run through Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Constant Contact email newsletters, an Amazon Wish List, and recurring local media coverage.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded. Revenue streams include individual and corporate financial donations, community rewards programs (Dillons Community Rewards, AmazonSmile, TAGG), and grants from institutional funders including Conagra Brands Foundation, Harper Family Foundation, Pacific Life Foundation, Farm Credit Services of America, and Douglas County. All food rescue services are provided free of charge, and the organization holds a 2024 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency. Leadership transitioned in February 2024 from founder Beth Ostdiek Smith to Lenli Corbett Kountze, who had served as COO/Vice President since August 2023; the organization is governed by an 8-member board chaired by Emily Poeschl of Mutual of Omaha.

Name

Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue

Legal name

Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue Inc.

Website

https://savinggracefoodrescue.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that picks up surplus perishable food from 50+ Omaha-Council Bluffs donor businesses and delivers it the same day, free of charge, to 45+ nonprofit recipient agencies serving food-insecure populations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Rescue Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD), Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA)

Keywords

• Food rescue services
• Perishable food redistribution
• Nonprofit food bank
• Refrigerated logistics
• Food waste reduction

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Donations: Individual and corporate financial contributions are the primary revenue source. Donations are tax-deductible as Saving Grace is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The organization accepts one-time gifts, stock or mutual fund donations, planned gifts/bequests, and AmazonSmile donations.
2. Community Rewards Programs: Dillons Community Rewards program enables shoppers at Baker's stores to link their shopper's card to Saving Grace, generating donations based on spending. TAGG shopping program allows community members to tag purchases at participating local businesses to support the organization.
3. Grants: Saving Grace receives grants from foundations and corporate giving programs including Conagra Brands Foundation Nourish Our Community grants, Harper Family Foundation (truck funding), Pacific Life Foundation grants, and Farm Credit Services of America (truck funding).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that picks up surplus perishable food from over 50 food donor businesses (grocery stores, wholesalers, restaurants, caterers, event centers, convenience stores, schools, cafeterias, hotels, farms, and gardens) and delivers it free of charge the same day to 45+ nonprofit partner agencies including food pantries, shelters, children's programs, senior centers, transitional living facilities, and community fridges. A fleet of six refrigerated vehicles staffed by professional drivers/food ambassadors operates five days a week across the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro, with food never warehoused.

Product overview

Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue is a nonprofit organization operating as a single-service food rescue operation rather than a platform-based architecture. The core offering is a perishable food rescue and redistribution service that connects surplus perishable food from donors to nonprofit partners serving food-insecure populations. Supporting programs include the Community Fridge Project (outdoor refrigerators for 24/7 food access), Food Donor Partnership Program (business donation facilitation with recognition emblem), Volunteer Program (community engagement at events), and Food Waste Prevention Education (public awareness and guidance). The organization operates a fleet of refrigerated vehicles with professional drivers/food ambassadors who pick up food five days a week and deliver it same-day to nonprofit partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Perishable Food Rescue and Redistribution Service
• Community Fridge Project
• Food Donor Partnership Program
• Volunteer Program
• Food Waste Prevention Education

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10.3 million pounds of perishable food rescued and kept out of landfills since 2013
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Baker's Supermarket / Dillons Community RewardsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Baker's Supermarket participates in the Dillons Community Rewards program, allowing shoppers to link their rewards card to Saving Grace. Every time a linked shopper makes a purchase, Saving Grace receives a donation based on the spending amount.
• City SproutsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Community Fridge partner location at 4002 Seward St, Omaha. The Fridge Project provides access and opportunity to nutritious items in areas where accessibility to fresh food may be limited, such as food deserts.
• Charles Drew Health Center, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Community Fridge partner location at 2915 Grant St. Provides community access to fresh, nutritious food through a refrigerator located on the north side of the building.
• The Hope Center for KidsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Community Fridge partner location at 2200 N 20th St, Omaha, serving North Omaha community with limited access to fresh nutritious food.
• inCOMMON Community DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Community Fridge partner at Walnut Hill Commons, 1330 N 40th St, Omaha (temporarily closed as of June 2026). Located on south side of building, serving the community with 24/7 food access.
• TAGG (Together A Giving Community)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022TAGG shopping program allows community members to tag purchases at participating local businesses (including Hy-Vee, The Bookworm, Mangelsen's, Golf USA, Village Pomegranate, and local restaurants) to generate donations to Saving Grace.
• AmazonSmileminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022AmazonSmile allows shoppers to select Saving Grace as their charity, and Amazon donates a portion of purchase price to the organization at no extra cost to the shopper.
• Creighton UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Saving Grace and Creighton University co-host 'Food for Thought' educational discussions on sustainability, food waste, and food justice. Creighton students also participate in composting and sustainability programs.
• Hillside Solutions Compost ClubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Saving Grace partners with Hillside Solutions' Compost Club to educate food pantry volunteers and staff on ways to reduce excess wasted food (edible) to be rescued and redistributed or food waste (non-edible) to be composted.
• Catholic Charities of OmahaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Saving Grace assists Catholic Charities by distributing Farmers to Families Food Boxes of produce and dairy each week to families in need beyond those served by the agency's pantries. Nearly 208,000 pounds of food distributed through this partnership.
• Food Bank for the HeartlandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020During summer 2020, Saving Grace worked with the Food Bank for the Heartland and Millard Public Schools to distribute weekly Farmers to Families Food Boxes. Saving Grace picked up food at Millard South High School and delivered to nine schools serving as distribution locations.
• Brickway Brewery & DistilleryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019A new initiative was piloted in 2018 to use excess bread to make beer through a partnership with Brickway Brewery & Distillery, demonstrating innovative food waste reduction.
• Soil 2 SustenanceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017A grassroots group of nonprofit leaders dedicated to sustainability and equity in the food industry, part of Saving Grace's involvement in new community initiatives.
• Feedback (London-based organization)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Saving Grace partnered with Feedback, a London-based organization, to bring the global 'Feeding 5000' campaign to Omaha in October 2015, making it only the third U.S. city to host such an event.
• Table Grace CafeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Saving Grace has provided over 75,000 pounds of nutritious perishable food to Table Grace Cafe in downtown Omaha since 2014. Two days a week, drivers deliver produce, dairy, meats, and other healthy foods. About 90% of the cafe's ingredients come from donations, with Saving Grace providing at least 70%.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Waste No Food: App-based platform connecting surplus food from businesses to local charities. Emerging player with partial overlap to Saving Grace's donor-recipient model, though it relies on partner logistics rather than operating its own refrigerated fleet.
• MEANS Database: Tech-forward food rescue platform matching donors with recipient agencies in real time. Emerging player comparable to Saving Grace's donor-to-nonprofit rescue model but differentiated by a heavier technology and matching-platform approach vs. Saving Grace's driver-led refrigerated fleet.

Regional players

• Cleveland Food Rescue: Cleveland-area food rescue organization with a similar same-day refrigerated logistics model serving pantries and shelters. Regional player offering comparable perishable food rescue operations but in a different metro, useful as a same-model peer for benchmarking operating practices.
• Second Harvest Heartland: Upper Midwest food bank serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Regional peer comparable in mission (food rescue and redistribution) but operating in a different geography than Saving Grace's Omaha-Council Bluffs base, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• FoodForward: Southern California-based food rescue organization that recovers surplus produce and perishable food for distribution to pantries and agencies. Direct peer with comparable refrigerated fleet logistics and a network of nonprofit partner agencies serving food-insecure populations.
• Rescuing Leftover Cuisine: National nonprofit that rescues surplus food from restaurants and foodservice operators and delivers it to people in need. Direct peer because it shares Saving Grace's core mission of connecting surplus perishable food with food-insecure populations via direct logistics.
• 412 Food Rescue: Pittsburgh-based food rescue organization using a tech-enabled platform to redirect surplus food from businesses to nonprofits. Direct peer because it shares the same donor-to-nonprofit perishable food rescue mission as Saving Grace, with similar refrigerated logistics and B2B donor engagement.
• Food Bank for the Heartland: Regional food bank serving Nebraska and western Iowa, including the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro that Saving Grace operates in. Direct peer and an actual operating partner — Food Bank for the Heartland and Saving Grace collaborated during the 2020 Farmers to Families program, but Food Bank for the Heartland operates the traditional warehouse-based model vs. Saving Grace's same-day rescue model.
• Food Rescue US: National food rescue platform connecting surplus food from businesses to nonprofits via volunteer drivers and an app-based matching system. Direct peer because it operates the same donor-to-nonprofit food rescue model as Saving Grace, though at national scale rather than a single metro.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: The largest U.S. hunger-relief nonprofit and national network of 200+ food banks. Broad incumbent — overlaps with Saving Grace in addressing food insecurity but operates a warehouse/grocery-distribution model rather than same-day perishable rescue, and serves as a national umbrella rather than a single-metro operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUxjkPzz1rnPJ3rfdGTZTKA
• Facebookfacebook.com/savinggracefoodrescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saving-grace-perishable-food-rescue
• Instagraminstagram.com/savinggracefood
• Xx.com/savinggracefood

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue