412 Food Rescue, URA hosting food box giveaway in Hill District

Boxes of fresh dairy and produce items will be given to people in need Saturday at the former Shop ‘n Save on Centre Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Hill District.

412 Food Rescue will have up to 1,000 boxes to give away from 10 a.m. to noon. Each household will get a box.

The food comes from local donors Schneider’s Dairy and Chelan Fresh, available through the USDA’s Farmers to Families Box Program.

Launched in March 2015, 412 Food Rescue said it has redirected more than 9 million pounds of perfectly good food from going to landfills.

“Our strategy at 412 Food Rescue has always been to get food to where people already are,” senior program director Jen England said. “During covid-19, we’re connecting the USDA’s Farmers to Families food boxes with our region’s highest need communities.”

The Hill District location, provided by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, is accessible by foot, bike, car and public transit, including Port Authority bus routes 81, 82 and 83.

“As the URA continues to work with the community to attract a new grocery store operator for the Centre Avenue space where this distribution will be held, organizations like 412 Food Rescue are helping to meet the needs of families right now,” said Diamonte Walker, deputy executive director of the URA. “I am happy to see the space continue to be used for these kinds of innovative solutions until a permanent fresh food source can be brought back to the neighborhood.”