After its national launch two years ago, the food rescue app Careit is celebrating a significant achievement: the recovery of over 130 million pounds of food across the United States. This accomplishment stems from more than 30,000 donations from 12,000 organizations, demonstrating the app’s growing impact in the fight against food waste.
Founded in 2021, Careit is a free, Los Angeles-based platform designed to connect businesses with nonprofits for the purpose of donating and rescuing food. The app addresses a critical issue: In the United States, approximately 31% of all food goes unsold or uneaten, with a substantial portion ending up as waste. According to ReFed, only 12% of the 14.5 million tons of potentially donatable food actually gets donated annually.
What sets Careit apart from other food donation apps is its focus specifically on prepared food donations. The app connects businesses and nonprofits, providing a direct channel for them to supply food to individuals in need. Careit operates without exclusivity contracts, providing businesses with flexibility in their donation efforts. Users also have the option of paying subscription fees to access advanced features, such as multi-location data reporting for tax deductions and streamlined record-keeping for food rescues and donations.
Corporations can use Careit to track their food donation efforts, assisting in compliance with new food waste policies and supporting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) campaign efforts.
Businesses across various sectors have joined Careit to combat food waste and donate surplus food to nonprofits throughout the nation. These businesses include Amazon, Food 4 Less, Compass Foods, Google, Vallarta Supermarkets, Cost Less Food Co., BevMo! (a GoPuff subsidiary), and Bristol Farms.
“Careit was designed to support emergency relief organizations,” said Alyson Schill, CEO and co-founder of Careit. “The exponential growth we’re experiencing today, starting from minimal funding, is welcomed proof that our food donation business model is working and building positive momentum.”
