Oprah recently had a episode about a movement of people that live solely on goods they can obtain for free. They call themselves Freegans, and consume a diet based primarily on foods that have been thrown away by grocery stores and restaurants. The amount of fresh, packaged and not expired food that is thrown away everyday in the US, is shocking! The Food Gatherers charity operates on the same principal. Food Gatherers goal is to alleviate hunger and eliminate its cause by reducing food waste through the rescue and distribution of perishable and non perishable food. Food Gatherers currently supplies the Salvation Army and other organizations that feed the hungry, with enough goods for 7,700 meals A DAY! Food that would have otherwise been thrown away!

The food is gathered from local markets and restaurants in the Michigan area where the program is run. Food Gatherers is growing by the day, expanding through the purchase of more vehicles which allows them to deliver more food, to more places. Food Gatherers is the top food bank in the Nation, and was recently recognized as a top-performing charity by Charity Navigator. The organization also sits in the number one spot on the Nation's best "food banks, food pantries and food distribution" category. Hopefully one day every city will have a similar program! Check out foodgatheres.org for ways you can help.