While some rescue missions call for helicopters and ropes, at Feeding Westchester, the mission is all about rescuing food—and that mission is powered by dedicated team members like Danielle and Jessica.
Their work is called Retail Recovery, meaning that food from partner retail stores that would otherwise go to waste is recovered and repurposed for community members.
By building strong relationships with local businesses, Danielle and Jessica help ensure that not only food waste is reduced, but that our Westchester neighbors are fed.
The key to these partnerships is constant communication—something Danielle and Jessica prioritize when working with retail stores and community agencies.
Their paths, though different, led them both to this remarkable career of providing for their neighbors.
Danielle, the Manager of Retail Recovery, had a connection to Feeding Westchester before she even joined the team. Joking that she “weaseled” her way in.
Before starting at Feeding Westchester, Danielle worked at Trader Joe’s—one of our Retail Recovery partners—and used that connection to find her place in the organization.
Danielle has become an expert in her position and the firsthand effects it has on neighbors. Speaking on this, Danielle gave more insight on the impact of her work, explaining that, “Retail Recovery is all free food. We received 4.5 million pounds of retail recovery, and that’s over 4 million pounds of food we didn’t have to spend money on.”
What this statistic shows is that 4.5 out of 23.2 pounds of food distributed last year came straight from Retail Recovery. This is no less than an astonishing amount. Guaranteeing that Westchester families have immediate access to the food they need.
Another important benefit of Retail Recovery is that it provides individuals with access to a broader variety of food. Many of the items donated by retail stores are from well-known brands—a luxury food pantries don’t always have the means to offer. This relieves community members, allowing them to feel more comfortable and familiar with the food they receive.
While Danielle’s journey to Feeding Westchester was shaped by her time at Trader Joe’s, Jessica’s path was a bit different. After working as a middle school teacher, Jessica decided to make a career change; which led to her current role as Agency Enablement Coordinator. Jessica describes her new job as a “good fit for my interests and my passion for helping the community.”
Jessica’s role relies heavily on working with partner agencies. Her contact with these partners makes certain that any issue that arises is solved and that each community member who needs food gets what they need.
She states that, “if there’s a need, or if there’s an issue with a donation, or if there’s an increase in people from the community coming to their location and they need more food… then I communicate with Danielle so that we can see how we can work collectively with the store.”
This isn’t all Jessica and Danielle had to share about their roles—they also reflected on the impact their work has on the people they serve.
Danielle recalled a moment that reminded her just how meaningful her work is. It happened during An Evening in Good Taste, Feeding Westchester’s biggest fundraiser, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars. She spoke about an unexpected meaningful interaction that she ended up having.
“It was around 9 p.m. at the Westchester Mall, and I got lost. A security guard was helping me find my car, and I was telling her about Feeding Westchester. She said, ‘Thank you so much… you are the reason I eat.’ That really hit me hard and put everything I do into perspective.”
Similarly, Jessica is deeply moved by both the overwhelming need in her community and the unwavering commitment of those who are trying to meet it. Her impact story came from the relationship she has with our partner agencies.
She explained, “one of the agencies I work with sends me pictures of the line of people who wait for hours to get food during their pantry distribution. The line keeps growing, and sometimes, by the time people get to the end, there’s barely anything left. She recently got partnered with another retailer and was finally able to give food to everyone in line—and even had enough for the people who show up later in the week and can’t make it on the day of.”
It’s quite clear that Jessica and Danielle are deeply associated with the mission of Feeding Westchester- a mission that calls for going above and beyond for their neighbors.
The first step to fighting hunger is finding food… Jessica and Danielle are a significant part of this action for Feeding Westchester.
Thanks to their behind-the-scenes efforts, Westchester neighbors’ plates are not only filled—but filled with quality food. Making them true “rescue heroes.”
