At Sharing Excess, we're using surplus to solve scarcity.
By partnering with grocery stores, restaurants, wholesalers, and farmers, Sharing Excess rescues and redistributes over 120,000 lbs. of food every week.
Our food system is wasteful and inefficient.
Nearly 40% of food goes to waste in the United States.
At least 38 million Americans experience food insecurity.
We're wasting more than double the amount of food needed to close the "hunger gap."
The biggest barrier is logistics.
We improve access to excess.
Sharing Excess specializes in last-mile logistics. We use technology and clever innovation to deliver food excess to communities free of charge, before it goes to waste.
IMPACT: BY THE NUMBERS
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Pounds of Food Rescued since 2018
Partnering with grocery stores, restaurants, wholesalers, and farmers, Sharing Excess has rescued and delivered food to over 180 nonprofits and food banks.
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Total Retail Value of Rescued Food
With an average retail value of $2.86 per pound, Sharing Excess has returned over $9 million of valuable, fresh food to the local economy and community.
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Pounds of CO2 Diverted from Landfills
By keeping food waste out of landfills, Sharing Excess has diverted over 18 million pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
IN THE NEWS
We’ve grown from a student startup, to a national movement.
With chapters at 12 campuses, Sharing Excess is continually growing to become the leader in food redistribution around the country.
Philadelphia Food Rescue Organization Develops a Scalable Model for Food Donation
July 29, 2022
Through their ongoing partnership, Sharing Excess is able to recover edible food and bring it directly to communities. Their volunteers set up pop-up events where community members can choose what they take home.
Gov. Wolf, First Lady Highlight Administration-Long Food Security Efforts During Visit to Philadelphia Food Rescue Operation
July 29, 2022
Gov. Wolf, First Lady Frances Wolf, and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited Sharing Excess, a food rescue organization, to highlight innovative food security efforts that are feeding Pennsylvanians.
Food Sharing Program Prevents Waste and Sparks a Movement
July 5, 2022
Sharing Excess came to be when a Drexel student gave away 50 meals left in his dining account to people in need. He inspired others to join his efforts, which grew to include excess “food rescue” from a network of grocers, restaurants, farmers, and wholesalers. Today the nonprofit delivers an average of 100,000 pounds of food each week. The ultimate vision of Sharing Excess is to use every available resource that is wasted or underutilized to cover basic needs for all.
This Student-Run Food Rescue Program Delivers 100,000 Pounds of Food to Philadelphians Per Week
February 23, 2021
Last March, as Philly scrambled to adjust our lives to Governor Tom Wolf’s new shutdown orders, Drexel alum and Sharing Excess founder Evan Ehlers realized something: Restaurants prepared for a busy week would suddenly find themselves awash in leftover food. Sharing Excess, the fledgling food rescue nonprofit founded by Ehlers and staffed by college students, sprung into action. In 48 hours, Ehlers and his team rescued more than 10,000 pounds of food — enough to feed roughly 90 families of four for a week — from 24 different restaurants, including Saxby’s cafes and Stephen Starr locations.
Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market and Sharing Excess Collaboration Donates Over 2M Pounds of Food
Dec 24, 2021
PHILADELPHIA — After nearly six months of collaborating to provide free fresh produce to low income Philadelphians, the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market and Sharing Excess have been able to donate 2,039,323 pounds of food back to the community. With food insecurity continuing to impact 38 million Americans a year and 20% of Philadelphians, the organizations remain committed to making unsold produce that would otherwise be thrown away available to people in Philadelphia through food pantries.
National TV Ad: Because community can't wait.
Dec 15, 2020
Evan Ehlers, an alum from the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, built Sharing Excess, a nonprofit organization with a mission to address food insecurity in Philadelphia and around the country. Dragons are extraordinary and making a difference in this changing world. Because community can't wait.
There's Enough Food to Feed Everyone, the Issue is with Distribution
Dec 5, 2021
On November 30th, we joined the student-run NGO “Sharing Excess” in their mission of tackling the problem of food insecurity. In communities everywhere, food is going to waste while people suffer from food insecurity. This is a disconnect created by the logistical barriers between excess and scarcity. If solved, this connection could ensure food security for all people living on our planet. But as vast a problem as food waste is, the solution often boils down to simple last mile logistics and delivery. Sharing Excess is meeting this challenge with the power of people, technology, and compassion.
Food Sharing During Covid-19
May 17, 2020
Meet the 24-year-old founder of Sharing Excess that is getting good food to the people that need it most during the coronavirus pandemic. (Source: QuickTake)
As Philly restaurants shutter, massive amounts of food are at risk of going to waste. Here’s how to help.
March 16, 2020
On Monday, Philadelphia restaurants responded to Mayor Jim Kenney’s order that they restrict operations to pickup and/or delivery. While some partnered with third-party carriers or prepared to offer curbside delivery, other establishments decided to temporarily close — which creates the potential for a massive amount of food going to waste.
Nonprofits Join Together to Share LOVE
May 28, 2020
A group of Philly nonprofits has joined together to give back to the community during the coronavirus pandemic. ‘Sharing LOVE’ is providing meals to anyone in need. Philly Live’s Aunyea Lachelle talks to Evan Ehlers about how you can help.
Sharing Excess Addresses College Student Food Insecurity
Dec 1, 2019
Sharing Excess is an organization working to fight food insecurity and address the root causes of hunger in Philadelphia, PA. The new nonprofit serves the Philadelphia through its chapters on college campuses across the city. And Sharing Excess is especially devoted to helping college students improve their food security through meal swipes, food recovery, and new “food scholarships.”
Sharing Excess: Using College Meal Swipes to Close the Gap Between Food Waste and Food Insecurity
Jul 17, 2019
The waste going on in America is immense. Approximately 1/3 of all food produced in the United States (126 billion pounds) is thrown in landfills each year. This waste is due to a variety of reasons like non-standardized expiration dates, aesthetic imperfections, and supply chain inefficiencies.
GET INVOLVED
We're growing! And we need your help.
There are lots of ways you can help Sharing Excess in your free time. Join more than 100 volunteers doing their part to make life more sustainable and equitable for everyone.
Volunteer
Join our fleet of paid and volunteer drivers, rescuing food seven days a week. Help us close the gap between food excess and scarcity in your own car on your own time.
Donate
Help support our mission to reduce food waste and fight food insecurity in our communities. 100% of your tax deductible donation goes to our rescuing and redistributing food.
Join Us
You can help Sharing Excess fight food waste from the comfort of your own home. Join our team and help us source food, fundraise, research, and much more.
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
For every $1 donated, we can rescue and distribute 16 meals.
There are lots of ways you can help Sharing Excess in your free time. Join more than 100 volunteers doing their part to make life more sustainable and equitable for everyone.
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Federation of Neighborhood Centers is the 501(c)(3) fiscal agent of Sharing Excess, therefore all donations are tax-deductible. Nonprofit Tax ID/EIN: 23-1630073. “Sharing Excess” is a registered trademark (TM). All rights reserved.