Food Rescue Express

The Food Rescue Express (FREX) Program repackages rescued food for distribution to food pantries and meal sites, contributing thousands of pounds of food to the emergency food system and preventing food from entering landfills. FREX food adds nutrition and variety to emergency food boxes while engaging the community in our mission and creating new partnerships and donors.

FOOD for Lane County’s refrigerated FREX vehicles visit restaurants, hotels, hospitals and university food services, picking up food that has been prepared but not served. The food is brought to FOOD for Lane County’s commercial, ServSafe-certified kitchen where volunteers ready the food for distribution to emergency food box agencies and meal sites throughout Lane County.

FREX staff and volunteers rescue, package and distribute over 425,000 pounds of fresh and perishable food annually. Now in its 11th year, the FREX kitchen operates Monday through Friday evenings and depends on a staff of more than 150 volunteers each week. Many individuals, students, families, business and civic groups and faith-based organizations are regular dedicated volunteers.