FRN was born when several University of Maryland students noticed that campus dining halls were wasting nutritious food while community members were going hungry. It has since grown into one of the country’s largest student-led movements fighting food waste and hunger, mobilizing participants on 200 college campuses to recover surplus food at universities, businesses, and large events. The surplus is donated to local nonprofits FOOD providers and simultaneously ensures that food waste is diverted from landfills (a sizable contributor to greenhouse gas emissions). To date, FRN has recovered more than 16.3 million pounds of food, donated 13.6 million meals, and prevented 19,900 metric tons of emissions. By working with existing infrastructure at institutions, FRN’s community-led model builds invaluable awareness of sustainable practices and transforms our food supply chain one area at a time.

Headquarters: MD-Prince George's County

Where They Operate: Internationally; ; United States of America

Age Groups Served: All

Population(s) Served: All

Schools They Work In: Allegheny College; Alma College; Aquinas College; Assumption College; Bard College; Becker College; Bellarmine University; Belmont Abbey; Beloit College; Boise State University; Bowling Green State University; Brandeis University; Broward College ; Brown University; Butler University ; California State University Fresno; California State University Northridge; Calvin College; Carleton College; Case Western Reserve University; Christian Brothers University; Claremont McKenna; Clemson University; Coastal Carolina University; Colby College; Colby Sawyer; College of the Holy Cross; College of William and Mary; Colorado Mountain College; Cornell College (IA); Cornell University (NY); Cornerstone University; Dartmouth College; Denison University; Drake University; Drexel University; Duke; Earlham College; Eastern Michigan University; Eckerd College; Elmhurst College; Fairfield University; Florida International University; Florida State University; Fordham University Rose Hill; Framingham State University; George Washington University; Georgia State University; Gordon College; Goucher College; Green Mountain College; Grinnell College; High Point University; Illinois State University; Iowa State University; Kalamazoo College; Kansas State University; Knox College; Lawrence University; Lehigh University; Lipscomb University; Louisiana State University; Loyola Marymount ; Lycoming College; Macalester College; Madonna University; Marist College; Maryville College; Mercyhurst University; Millersville U of PA; Missouri State University; Monmouth University; New Mexico State University; The New School; New York University; Nichols College; North Carolina State University; Northern Arizona University; Northern Illinois University; Northwood University; Occidental College; Ohio Wesleyan University; Olin College of Engineering; Orange Coast College; Parkland Community College; Pasadena City College; PennState Erie the Behrend College; PennState University Park; Pfeiffer University; Pitzer College; Plymouth State University; Point Loma Nazarene University; Pomona College; Portland Community College; Providence College; Rhodes College; Rochester Institute of Technology; Roger Williams University; Rowan; Russell Sage College; San Diego State University; Saint Anselm; Saint Joseph's University; Saint Mary's College -- Indiana; Salem College; Santa Clara University; Seattle Pacific University; Shippensburg University; Smith College; Southern Connecticut State University; Southeast Missouri State University; Southern Maine Community College; Southern Nazarene University; St. John's College; St. Mary's College of Maryland; St. Olaf; Stephen F. Austin; SUNY Binghamton; SUNY U at Buffalo; SUNY Plattsburgh; Susquehanna University; Syracuse U / SUNY ESF; Texas A&M; Texas State University; Towson University; Trinity College; Tulane University; University of Bridgeport; University of California-Davis; University of California- Los Angeles; University of California-San Diego; University of California-Santa Cruz; University of Central Arkansas; University of Central Oklahoma; University of Dayton; University of Delaware; University of Denver; University of Hawaii Manoa; University of Houston; University of Illinois - Chicago; University of Indianapolis; University of Iowa; University of Maine; University of Maine at Farmington; University of Mary Washington; University of Maryland - Baltimore County; University of Maryland, College Park; University of Massachusetts - Amherst; University of Miami; University of Michigan--Ann Arbor; University of Michigan - Dearborn; University of Michigan - Flint; University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; University of Mississippi; University of Missouri; University of New England; University of New Mexico; University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; University of North Carolina Greensboro; University of North Carolina Pembroke; University of the Pacific; University of Pennsylvania; University of Pittsburgh; University of Richmond; University of Rhode Island; University of Rochester; University of St. Thomas; University of San Francisco; University of the Sciences; University of South Alabama; University of South Carolina Columbia; University of South Carolina Upstate; University of Southern California; University of Tennessee Knoxville; University of Texas- Austin ; University of Texas at Dallas; University of Toledo; University of Utah; University of Washington; University of Wisconsin Madison; Utah State University; Valley Forge Military; Villanova University; Virginia Commonwealth University; Wagner College; Washington & Jefferson College; Washington State University Pullman; Wayne State University; Weber State; Western Washington University; West Hills College Lemoore; West Virginia University; Whittier College; Willamette University; Wichita State University; Worcester Polytechnic Institute


  • Pounds of food provided (groceries delivered, food items distributed) since 2011 :   2.7 million
  • Number of meals served since 2011:   2.2 million
  • Number of volunteers who work with us annually:   3100
  • Number of hours of volunteer work we record annually:   28000
  • Number of hunger-fighting partner agencies we donate food:   340

Awards & Recognition

Featured Org, Good Food Org Guide 2015
Featured Org, Good Food Org Guide 2016

Press

Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • The current budget for Food Recovery Network is: $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

About Spur Local

Each year 150+ community advocates review applicants on the basis of governance, equity, and impact. Each featured nonprofit has been successfully site visited and its financials given the thumbs up. Spur Local charges no fees and raises funds separately to support its work. Since 2003, it has raised over $57 million for nonprofits across the Greater Washington region.

Spur Local looks to friends like you to keep our services independent and entirely free of charge. Consider a small contribution to Spur Local to cap off your gift and help the causes you care about get the full support they deserve!

If you like Food Recovery Network you might also like