This app makes it easier to get surplus food to those in need
If you often find you have surplus food, do you know where it's needed? Turns out there's an app for that.
Four thousand tons of food waste is generated in Los Angeles County every day.
The environmental impact of that waste is significant, but people like Cari Golden want to make a positive impact with that surplus.
"Being able to eat should not be a meritocracy," said Golden, the founder of Lov Kitchen.
Restaurants and grocery stores have surplus food to give and non-profits like Lov Kitchen can use it, but the challenge is often connecting the source with the provider in a timely manner. That's where Careit, a free online marketplace, tries to help.
"Careit is actually more of the network of all of the different types of food rescue agencies and services coming together so that everybody, for free, can donate their food and get it rescued," says Careit co-founder Alyson Schill.
It's estimated that only 2% of available, edible food is rescued.
Founded in 2021, Careit is a tech start-up company helping communities efficiently access the remaining 98%.
Golden says she appreciates what that provides.
"I can focus and concentrate on actually prepping the food and putting the love into making the meals, rather than having to do a lot of the admin on the backend of that that takes away my time and resources," she added.
'Too Good To Go' app aims to combat food waste while offering cheap meals in LA
Steven Mora, the president of Metropolitan Culinary Services says Careit makes it easier on the food providers as well.
"Everybody wants to be involved, it's just how do they get involved? The easier you make it for people, the easier it will be to donate."
More than 1,000 Los Angeles grocery retailers, restaurants and businesses like MCS at the Burbank Airport have registered with the Careit a pp, which started here in Los Angeles and has grown to 41 states and Canada.
"It was a lot harder before, right? You'd have to think about it then figure out what charity you're gonna call to come pick it up. It wasn't as user-friendly as it is now," said Jeffrey Mora, the CEO of Food Fleet.
Food providers generally have 5-10% extra each day to insure customers have what they want. Careit allows for non-profits to schedule pick-ups of surplus that is good now, but soon won't be - no matter how much is available.
"When you're running a large-scale operation, if you ever worked in a commercial kitchen, you're always going to have something," Golden said. "So now, there is the ability to actually be able to make sure that doesn't break your heart and go into the trash bin."
"It's really not just about getting the food out of the landfill, its about everybody in the community stepping up and saying, 'I have a little bit extra, here have mine'," Schill said.
