Staff Report | Free Press Philanthropy
Waste Not is the recipient of a new E‑Transit refrigerated van and Level 2 charging station gifted through Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program to support fresh food pickup and redistribution across the Valley.
The donation was celebrated on Dec. 11, 2025, when Waste Not staff and Whole Foods Market team members at the Whole Foods Market Tempe store filled the van with donated products for community members experiencing food insecurity, according to a press release.
“We are honored to be a recipient of Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhood program,” Mara Pernick, executive director of Waste Not, said. “This refrigerated van is more than just a vehicle, it is a lifeline. It will allow our drivers to safely transport fresh, nutritious food across the Valley, ensuring it reaches families, veterans, and individuals who might otherwise go without. By keeping food fresh from pickup to delivery, we can maximize the impact of every donation and continue building a healthier, more resilient community.”
“We’re so thrilled to expand our relationship with Waste Not and further support their food rescue efforts to nourish the Phoenix community,” Stacy McLean, store team leader for Whole Foods Market Tempe, said. “Not only will this van help transport more rescued food to neighbors in need, but it will also help reduce food waste and do so much good to create long-term impact nourishing the community.”
Whole Foods Market launched Nourishing Our Neighborhoods in September 2020 and has donated 90 refrigerated vans to food rescue partners in the United States and Canada. These partners participate in the company’s Grocery Rescue Program, which provides weekly food pickups for redistribution.
Arizona leads the nation in food waste, with more than $9.5 billion worth of food discarded each year.
One in seven Arizonans experiences hunger. Waste Not has worked for more than 35 years to reduce both issues by rescuing surplus food and delivering it to organizations serving people in need. In 2024, the nonprofit diverted 2.7 million pounds of edible food from landfills, redirecting it to Arizonans facing food insecurity.
