Food Rescue of Goodwill Northern Michigan

06/03/2026

Making sure good food doesn't go to waste means that the food we receive must be sorted through. Volunteers and staff at food pantries and meal programs of the Northwest Food Coalition do that important work. This video gives you an idea of what rescued food looks like!

Of all of our food that we distribute about 10% is "dead on arrival". Fruits and vegetables have a higher rate of discard than any other food we get. It just takes ONE bad orange in the bunch to have us rescue the entire bag of good oranges. In this case, 7 in every 10 clementines we received were perfectly good and healthy!

06/01/2026

Thanks to the new produce cooler from Impact 100 TC, we now have flexiblity to hold different foods at their respective optimum temperatures. Last week we received 24,000 lbs of peppers and tomatoes from The Farmlink Project - one of the largest single delivery of fresh produce in Food Rescue history. To keep it all fresh, we put the peppers, plus the eggs and all the other contents of the small cooler into our new large cooler at 38 degrees, then upped the temp in the small cooler to 55 degrees for the tomatoes.

05/31/2026

We want you to get further engaged in our work! Please attend this event with us to help us increase food donations in our region. We will have Good Samaritan Family Services and Do a Little Good (members of the Northwest Food Coalition) speak about the impact of food donations on their programs. And, we will hear from King Orchards about their donation program and from the Michigan Sustainable Business Forum about the campaign. Then we break out for a discussions with everyone there. Please join us for this event!

05/31/2026

We can't wait!

Impact in Action: Goodwill Food Rescue 🍎

One of the most rewarding parts of being an Impact100 TC member is seeing the ripple effect of collective giving firsthand.

Join us for an evening with our 2025 grant recipient, Goodwill Food Rescue, and experience the impact your support is making in our community. Tour the facility, see the new produce cooler funded through an Impact100 TC grant, connect with fellow members, and hear inspiring stories from the volunteers, farmers, and community partners helping rescue food and reduce waste across Northern Michigan.

Enjoy light appetizers created from locally gleaned food and learn how this innovative program is increasing access to fresh, healthy food for our neighbors!!!

📅 Tuesday, June 2
🕠 5:30–7:30 PM
📍Goodwill Food Rescue Warehouse2889 Aero-Park Drive, Traverse City

The evening will begin with conversation and appetizers from 5:30–6:00 PM, followed by a presentation, Q&A, and facility tours.

Guests are welcome. We’d love for you to bring a friend and share the Impact100 TC story.

NorthernMichiganNonprofits

05/28/2026

For 100 years, Oleson's Food Stores have been part of this community and for nearly two decades, they’ve helped Food Rescue make sure good food gets to the people who need it most.

From helping fund our very first truck to keeping our fleet on the road today, we’re grateful for this longtime partnership.

05/27/2026

Big thanks to the team from Fustini's Oils & Vinegars for spending part of their day volunteering at a Food Rescue repack!

Fustini’s has been an incredible supporter of Food Rescue, not just through volunteerism, but through their Fustini’s Cares program, where 1% of every purchase at their Traverse City store is donated directly to Food Rescue. In 2025 alone, that support added up to an amazing $17,700 helping us rescue fresh food, keep our trucks on the road, and get healthy food out to neighbors across Northern Michigan.

We’re grateful for community partners who show up in so many ways. And to every Fustini’s customer: thank you for helping make this impact possible, too.

05/26/2026

Team members from Fifth Third Bank and Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies rolled up their sleeves and got to work repacking rescued food for our community.

What might have gone to waste is now headed to local pantries and families who can use it. This is what partnership looks like. This is how we keep good food out of landfill.

05/24/2026

We’re grateful to the Old Mission Women's Club for awarding Food Rescue a $4,500 grant in support of our work reducing food waste and increasing access to healthy food.

The club’s history and mission really inspires us. The Club began in 1931 with a group of nine women, primarily the wives of the cherry farmers who met in each other’s homes and planned activities in support of their community. Today, their support is helping Food Rescue work with many Old Mission farms that existed back at the start of their Club.

And, congratulations to the other recipients (our friends!): Cherryland Humane Society, Women's Resource Center for the Grand Traverse Area, and Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency’s Laundry Project.

Thank you to the Old Mission Peninsula Women’s Club for supporting local nonprofits and helping strengthen our community.

05/22/2026

For the first time ever, we rented a tour bus and hosted our Northwest Food Coalition partners from across the region on a full tour of Goodwill Northern Michigan. We visited our flagship store on South Airport Rd, the Goodwill Inn homeless shelter, Carson Square housing with supports community, our ecommerce and salvage/recycling departments, and Food Rescue to share how our social enterprise supports our food, housing, and homeless work and environmental sustainability in Northern Michigan. We were joined by:

Leelanau Christian Neighbors, Benzie Area Christian Neighbors, Fresh Wind Food Pantry - Thompsonville, Acme Christian Thrift Store and Food Pantry, 5loaves2fish , Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Grace Episcopal Church, Traverse City, Michigan , Good Samaritan Family Services , Michigan Indian Legal Services, The Salvation Army Traverse City and Traverse City Church of the Nazarene

We were grateful for the opportunity to deepen relationships, share more about our work, and spend meaningful time together. Thank you for coming out on the tour!