Santa Monica Nonprofit Wins $50K Prize Rescuing Food

When Aidan Reilly tried to volunteer at his local Santa Monica food bank during the pandemic, they turned him away with unexpected news: they didn't need volunteers, they needed food.

That rejection sparked an idea that would grow into something extraordinary. Reilly and a few college friends started cold-calling farmers across California, learning why perfectly good food gets dumped and figuring out how to rescue it.

Today, the Farmlink Project moves 5 million pounds of fresh produce every single week. The nonprofit has rescued over half a billion pounds of food from farms and warehouses across all 50 states, delivering it to people facing hunger instead of letting it rot in landfills.

The scale of their work just earned them one of 10 spots in the prestigious Keeling Curve Prize, an international award recognizing climate solutions. The prize comes with $50,000, which Reilly plans to use for more trucks and supporting his small team of 25 staff members.

The impact goes far beyond feeding hungry families. When food rots in landfills, it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that heats our planet. By rescuing this produce, the Farmlink Project prevents pollution equivalent to 42 coal-fired power plants worth of emissions annually in the U.S. alone.

Farmers benefit too. Instead of paying costly dumping fees for produce that isn't grocery-store perfect but is still nutritious, they can donate it and receive tax benefits while helping their communities.

The Ripple Effect

Reilly joins a growing network of neighbors helping neighbors through food rescue. Partners like Food Forward, United Hands of Compton, and the Hollywood Food Coalition work together at different scales to tackle the same problem.

Arnali Ray, who runs the Hollywood Food Coalition, says this ecosystem approach is essential. You need players at every level working together to make real change happen.

The timing couldn't be better. Rising grocery prices and cuts to federal food assistance programs are pushing more families toward food insecurity, including many who have stable housing but struggle to afford healthy meals.

The global problem is staggering: one in 13 people worldwide go hungry, yet enough food is produced to feed everyone. About a third of all food produced globally gets lost or wasted, creating 10% of annual greenhouse gas emissions.

With the prize money, Reilly estimates they can rescue another 500,000 pounds of fresh produce, turning what would have been waste into nourishment for families who need it most.