Nonprofit finds incredible method to make use of leftover food from event that attracted 100,000 people: 'It's really mind blowing'

The Detroit Grand Prix provided much more than entertainment this year, thanks to an enterprising nonprofit that saw the event's leftovers as a food source to address hunger, according to ABC affiliate WXYZ Detroit.

The street race was held from May 30 to June 1, attracting more than 100,000 fans. The folks at Metro Food Rescue knew there would be excess food, so they saved it from being wasted and provided more than 5,000 meals to people across Michigan facing food insecurity.

"It's really mind blowing that 40% of our food gets wasted and often, it's so close to people who need it. There are different organizations just within a mile or two from here that will love this food," nonprofit founder Chad Techner said in the story. WXYZ added that Techner started the project in 2020 by collecting unused eats from big events. The race fit right into the program.

"It's very, very insecure around here. This is a food desert, as we say. There's not a lot of anything around here," Frank Wilson, supervisor of food intake at Crossroads of Michigan, said in the story. The organization serves people in Detroit and received some of the race's leftovers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that about 13.5% of households face food scarcity, according to 2023 data. This includes people using pantries, government aid, or those who are eating poor diets to cope. Feeding America added that about 47 million people in America face hunger. Sadly, about one-fifth of them are children.

The solution mostly goes to waste, as FA's report spotlighted that about 92 billion pounds of food in the U.S. is trashed each year. That's nearly 40% of all food that's not sold or consumed.

Other factors, such as extreme heat and weather, are impacting growing seasons and food availability, as well. Experts at NASA said that planet overheating driven by dirty energy burning is causing increased risks for more intense heatwaves and storms. The weather changes are hurting crucial wheat and rice production in India. Intense heat is a concern for farm labor productivity, as well.

In answer, experts are developing fruit types that are resistant to heat and drought. A pathogen-proof orange tree in Florida has been rediscovered, with potential to bolster juice supplies as other trees fall victim to disease.

But better use of the food being harvested and prepared is one of the best ways to prevent waste and hunger.

Metro Food Rescue saved 73,000 pounds of food after the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit. In total last year, about 2.5 million pounds of food was saved from the trash, all according to WXYZ.

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It's a project that also prevents planet-warming fume production. When food waste goes to the landfill, it creates methane, a potent heat-trapping gas. That's not mentioning all of the production and transportation costs, and energy, squandered along with the meals, according to the USDA.

"This partnership benefits both the community and the environment, and it has become an integral part of the Detroit Grand Prix's sustainability strategy," the Penske Corporation's Letty Azar said in a statement published by WXYZ. Penske is involved with the race.

At home, you can do more with your leftovers to prevent waste and save money. Adding some spices to a nearly empty peanut butter jar can create a tasty sauce, for example. Using apps like Flashfood can help you make a more finely tuned grocery list. Smarter shopping can save around $110 a year by preventing just 15% of waste.

And supporting eco-friendly brands will encourage more companies to invest in better packaging and processes.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.