Every year, as much as 40% of the food supply in the United States ends up in landfills, and yet, 47.4 million people live in food-insecure households. In Colorado, one in seven residents face food insecurity, with people of color and people with children being the most at risk. We Don’t Waste (WDW), a Denver-based nonprofit, tackles these issues sustainably by diverting food from landfills into people’s homes, where it belongs. To date, WDW’s recovery, delivery, and educational programs have saved over 250,000,000 servings of food. The nonprofit was also recently named MJ’s 2025-2027 Colorado Charity of Choice, signaling a two-year partnership in which it will receive a $5,000 grant from the MJ Foundation for each year of its participation ($10,000 total), Days of Service with MJ associates, and community spotlights. 

Back in 2007, Arland Preblud, WDW’s Founder and a self-proclaimed foodie, began asking restaurateurs what happened to the unused food at the end of the day. The general answer was that it was thrown away. Believing food waste and food insecurity should not coexist in the same world, he “grabbed his Volvo station wagon, put the seats down, and started knocking on the door of caterers.” That Volvo led to a van, and then a refrigerated truck, which became a distribution center, and is now a fully operational Food Recovery Hub.

As one of the largest food recovery organizations in Colorado, We Don’t Waste is committed to recovering food from all types of sources—from urban gardens to large-scale restaurants and distributors. The process is simple: an interested donor makes a call or sends an email and, following a short consultation, the WDW team picks up the food at no cost. By increasing accessibility and removing bottlenecks, the nonprofit has built a network of over 300 active food donors. 

After the food goes through a safety inspection, it is distributed to We Don’t Waste partners. These partners include food pantries, shelters, schools, churches and more, all sharing a common theme of helping the food insecure in the Denver metropolitan area. The impact is palpable. For the Denver West High School Food Bank, it has meant “the opportunity to give [their] students fresh produce, fruit, and other items to take home for the weekend that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to for their families.” 

Partner distribution is not the only way that WDW impacts the community. The nonprofit acknowledges that specific Denver neighborhoods are food apartheids, geographic areas undergoing systemic discrimination and facing significant barriers to access fresh, affordable, and nutritious foods. The Mobile Market initiative brings these essential items directly to them. These pop-up markets across Denver give community members opportunities to collect food that best serves their needs at no cost. Everyone is welcome at all Mobile Markets, no matter their personal situation.

We Don’t Waste is a reminder that we can all make the world a better place. 

There are many ways to support We Don’t Waste in the fight against hunger and food waste. Even small actions can make a big impact—here’s how you can help: 

We are inspired by the work that We Don’t Waste carries out in local communities and are proud to support their mission through the MJ Foundation. Follow us on social media to keep up with our highlights of WDW’s impactful work throughout the next two years of our partnership.