Furthering Zero Food Waste Efforts, Park City Community Foundation Helps Waste Less Solutions Expand into Summit County

Grant will help divert more food waste from the Summit County landfill by connecting surplus, edible food with people who are experiencing food insecurity.

Park City, Utah (September 9, 2024) – After launching the Zero Food Waste effort this summer, Park City Community Foundation has made a grant to Waste Less Solutions to expand its services into Summit County. Waste Less Solutions is a Salt Lake City-based nonprofit organization focused on food rescue, meaning they gather excess food from businesses and events to help address food insecurity locally.

“Waste Less Solutions is an amazing organization that is helping to address the issue of food waste and food insecurity,” said Andy Hecht, Climate Fund Manager. “They have already had a huge impact in other counties in Utah, and we’re excited to see them build capacity in Summit County.”

Food wasted at the retail, event and restaurant level accounts for almost one-third of all food wasted, and approximately 400,000 people in Utah are food insecure. Waste Less Solutions uses volunteers and a Food Rescue app to get excess food to nonprofits serving community members. The organization will be using the grant from Park City Community Foundation to hire a part-time employee in Summit County and scale the operation in the area.

“I am really excited to expand into Park City and Summit County,” said Dana Williamson, Founder and CEO of Waste Less Solutions. “This community has already shown deep commitment to reduce food waste and we’re ready to jump in and support using our food rescue model. We look forward to working with the local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers!”

This is an important partnership in the Community Foundation’s Zero Food Waste initiative, which is a community-led movement aimed at diverting all food waste from entering the local landfill by 2030. Zero Food Waste launched, with support from Park City Mountain and Vail Resorts EpicPromise, this summer with the curbside collection program for households in 84060 and 84098. Waste Less Solution provides another avenue to divert surplus edible food away from the landfill.

“We need everyone to be all in on this goal, including residents, businesses, and our local government officials,” says Joel Zarrow, CEO of Park City Community Foundation. “Systematic change doesn’t happen overnight but working with organizations like Waste Less Solutions gets us all closer to reaching a more sustainable future.”

While Waste Less Solutions will take some time to fully get rolled out in Summit County, Williamson said she’s ready to start now. If you’re interested in getting involved, please visit wastelesssolutions.org to learn how to become a donor, volunteer, and apply for the current job opening.

Find out more about Park City Community Foundation’s Zero Food Waste initiative and sign up for curbside food waste collection here: parkcitycf.org/zerofoodwaste/

About Park City Community Foundation – The Community Foundation plays a vital role in solving the greatest challenges in greater Park City. It cares for and invests in our people, place, and culture by bringing together local nonprofits, donors, and community leaders to contribute financial resources and innovative ideas to benefit all the people of Park City—now and in the future. As the home of Live PC Give PC, Women’s Giving Fund, Zero Food Waste, and other important initiatives, the Community Foundation has generated more than $57.8 million in total impact to the greater Park City community and Summit County since its inception in 2007. Learn more about donating, volunteering, fundraising, and getting involved at parkcitycf.org.

Media Contact: Megan Fleming Hytjan, Park City Community Foundation, megan@parkcitycf.org, 970.948.8710.