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Food Recovery: Silicon Valley’s Mission to Minimize Food Waste Video

In This Episode:

In Silicon Valley, approximately 100,000 tons of excess food is generated annually, but only 40% is recovered, costing local businesses $50 million. Less than 20% of food recovery organizations track nutritional content, emphasizing the need for improved data collection and economic analysis to enhance recovery effectiveness and health impacts.

Food Recovery Problems Of Silicon Valley

  • Excess Food Production and Waste: Silicon Valley restaurants and grocery stores produce about 100,000 tons of excess food annually, of which only 40% is recovered. 
  • Economic Costs of Food Waste: Silicon Valley businesses lose about $50 million annually to food waste. Economic studies could reveal savings from better waste management.
  • Health Impacts of Recovered Food: Fewer than 20% of food recovery organizations in Silicon Valley systematically track the nutritional content of the food they distribute.

"Once we secured a utility vehicle, our capacity to collect and deliver food doubled overnight. We went from 250 pounds to 500 pounds of food a day."

About Paul DiMarco:

Paul DiMarco is the founder & director of No Time To Waste (NTTW). NTTW is a food recovery organization based in San Jose. Paul started NTTW as a means of giving back to his community. Since 2021, NTTW has increased its impact by 258%. Paul was a school teacher for 28 years before starting NTTW. Paul is also an author and award-winning documentary filmmaker.

"Our organization is run almost exclusively by volunteers. This helps keep our mission alive and impactful without overburdening anyone."

Show Notes:

  • Introduction to Paul DiMarco: Meet Paul DiMarco, the founder of “No Time to Waste,” who transformed a buffet encounter into a pioneering food recovery nonprofit. 
  • Early Days:  Paul shares his transition from being a school teacher to starting a nonprofit, highlighting his initial struggles and motivations.
  • A Lightbulb Moment: Discover the moment at a buffet that sparked Paul’s interest in food recovery and the subsequent actions that led him to establish his nonprofit.
  • Challenges in the Beginning: Hear about Paul's challenges in the early days, including restaurant resistance due to liability fears, and how he navigated these obstacles.
  • First Big Break: Learn how Paul’s persistence paid off, with Kaiser Hospital becoming his first major client, which he maintains to this day.
  • Impact of COVID-19: Paul discusses the unexpected surge in demand for his services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it helped expand his operations.
  • Funding Realities: This article provides insights into the tough funding landscape for new nonprofits, along with advice Paul received about financial challenges during the initial years.
  • Growth and Scaling: Paul details the exponential growth of “No Time to Waste” from handling small amounts to significant daily food recoveries.
  • Technological Innovations: Explore how technology, particularly a custom app, revolutionized how “No Time to Waste” tracks and manages food recovery, making their process more efficient and transparent.
  • Looking Ahead: Paul shares future goals for his nonprofit, including expanding into essential goods and increasing community involvement, along with the strategies to attract more individual donors and possibly increase staffing.

"Our future goals are to expand into essential goods and become more involved in the community, increasing our visibility and impact."

Link Mentioned:

Connect with No Time To Waste

If you would like to learn more or contribute to the mission of this organization, please contact:

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"Paul's journey from a buffet idea to leading 'No Time to Waste' exemplifies true community service spirit and is truly inspirational."

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