Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Stieglitz.
Erin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Bagel Rescue is a non-profit hunger relief food rescue organization that connects unsold bagels to neighbors in need. Our goal is to reduce food waste and support hunger relief, one bagel at a time.
My family discovered bagel waste when we decided to provide breakfast to frontline workers at Northside Hospital during the pandemic. I was ready to buy bulk bagels and my son wanted to get bagels from our local bagel shop. He called the manager and explained our project. The manager agreed to provide bagels from the day before our breakfast event. When we arrived, there were hundreds of leftover bagels.
After that day, I was curious what was happening to all the bagels around Atlanta that were not sold. And when I realized they were primarily being discarded, I set out to do something to fix that problem. Too many people in Atlanta were hungry, losing their jobs and homes, and reaching total devastation to allow good food to be thrown away. Bagel Rescue is a responsible solution for bagel shops to donate unsold bagels and allow us to put them to good use.
Now, a little over two years after that chance discovery, Bagel Rescue works with 32 bagel shop donors, almost all of which are at ZERO BAGEL WASTE. They have gone from discarding their bagels regularly to never throwing away their bagels. We work closely with our donors to rescue daily or on a set schedule. Their generous donations and support are essential to our operation.
Our volunteers are our connectors. With approximately 125 volunteers who help regularly, they are the heart of the operation. Graciously rescuing from bagel shops and delivering to feeding programs, sometimes repackaging bagels in between, our dedicated volunteers literally drive Bagel Rescue forward.
Working with 100+ feeding programs throughout Atlanta is inspirational. The staff and volunteers who tirelessly run organizations to better our community have helped us get bagels into the hands of those who need them most. This includes the culinary teams at shelters who creatively repurpose bagels for their residents; food pantry managers who introduce bagels to clients who may have never experienced them before and now adore them; educators at afterschool programs who help children grow, learn, and play after getting a little sustenance from a bagel; and teams who feed unhoused Atlantans no matter what the weather brings.
We are forging creative community partnerships that allow many groups of people to be involved. For example, in certain areas of Atlanta, we have joined forces with Green Cell, an environmental group, to help manage volunteers. We have partnerships with companies and schools to give employees and students an opportunity to support their community right in their workday or school day. One company even chose to do a community service project with Bagel Rescue in lieu of a holiday party.
Bagel Rescue by the Numbers:
32 bagel shop donors
40+ neighborhoods served in nine counties
100+ weekly deliveries
125+ volunteers
6,500+ total deliveries
12,000-16,000 meals served a week
686,000 lbs of Co2 saved
850,000+ bagels rescued
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Every journey has bumps in the road. Bagel Rescue has grown tremendously, very quickly. It has been amazing to watch the trajectory but with growth comes growing pains including having the bandwidth to manage the additional layers of operations. But Bagel Rescue was born from solving a problem and so that’s how we’ve tackled the challenges, by strategic problem-solving.
One of our biggest problems is managing the fluctuations in bagel supply. Our logistics are solid, but there are times when we have more than enough bagels and other times where we have to get creative to meet the needs of our partner agencies. We are working to create Regional Bagel Rescue Hubs to help manage this flux. That way we are best able to move bagels when and where they are needed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Starting Bagel Rescue was unexpected for me. But when I realized the gaps in food rescue, I knew I had to be part of it. Bagels are not going to solve world hunger and we don’t ever pretend that to be true. But we know that bagels can be part of a solution. When we do our part and others do theirs with other food, services, education, and resources, collectively we can make a difference.
One of the most joyous parts has been creating a Bagel Rescue community among volunteers, bagel donors, partner agencies, financial donors, business, and community groups. It is remarkable to see that come together in a meaningful way that is beneficial to everyone involved. That piece will never stop growing and I’m really looking forward to new relationships that emerge.
We are also exploring additional food resources to rescue as well as expanding outside of Atlanta. This growth will take time but I know it’s possible based on the work we have accomplished locally.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Kindness, connections, and community matter to me. We are all in this crazy world together and it’s up to us to figure out how to make the most of it for ourselves and each other. That means listening and learning from others, showing compassion, and doing our part to make a difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bagelrescue.com/
- Instagram: @BagelRescue
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BagelRescue/
Image Credits
The only photo that requires a credit is the one of Erin Stieglitz holding the bagel and Bagel Rescue sign. Photo by Kelley Klein Photography
