Driving Change: Volunteer Management and Engagement in Food Recovery Operations

Food recovery operations in urban areas depend on volunteers to collect, repackage, and distribute surplus food. RECIPES is partnering with Manna Food Center in Montgomery County, MD, and Food Rescue US, to examine the role of these volunteers. Together, we are focusing on volunteer motivations, transportation emissions during food recovery operations, and the economic value of vital volunteer labor. By analyzing these factors, the research aims to assess the efficiency, value, environmental impact, and sustainability of food recovery efforts.

Collaborations with non-academic partners continue to provide valuable perspectives and data for the research. Through surveys, interviews with food recovery organization leadership, and transportation data modeling from volunteer personal vehicles vs. centralized managed fleet, the study seeks to understand operational challenges and opportunities for long-term improvement. A major finding so far is that while organizations quantify the environmental benefits of food recovery, they often do not account for the emissions generated by volunteer transportation—a gap this study aims to address.