Food Rescue in Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County and Food Shift are working together to explore local solutions to wasted food and hunger. In Santa Clara County 1 in 4 people are food insecure and lots of nutritious food is being thrown away.

We need your help to understand what can be done to ensure good food is redirected to people in need. Please take a moment to answer this quick survey below so we can better understand the challenges and opportunities around tackling these important issues in our community.

Thank you for your time.

Note: All individual responses are anonymous and confidential. Responses will be aggregated for analysis and no individual responses will be shared or publicized without explicit permission.

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* 1. Please provide your company name

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* 2. Do you donate surplus food (edible unsold or unserved food) to community organizations?

I don't know

Yes (Please list the organizations to whom you donate food)

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* 3. If yes, which kind(s) do you usually donate? Please check all that apply.

Prepared foods (salads, sandwiches, packaged or catered food)

Bread or baked goods

Produce

Dairy products

Meat or fish

Non-perishable food

Outdated products

Frozen foods

I don't know

Other (please specify)

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* 4. If yes, how much surplus food (edible unsold or unserved food) do you estimate you donate per day?

100 lbs or less

100 - 1,000 lbs

1,000 - 10,000 lbs

10,000+ lbs

I don't know

Other (please specify)

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* 5. When you consider donating food, are you concerned about liability?

Yes

I don't know

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* 6. What is/would be your primary incentive(s) for donating food? Please check your top four.

Charitable tax deductions

Financial savings (like reducing waste disposal costs)

Positive branding (improving the company image)

Feeding the hungry (community wellbeing)

Environmental sustainability (reducing waste)

Ethical or moral consciousness

Increasing staff engagement or satisfaction

Other (please specify)

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* 7. What are the main obstacles or challenges to donating food? Please check your top five.

Unaware of how or where to donate

Not enough food to donate

Inadequate staff time to sort and pack donations

Not enough storage, refrigeration, or packaging for food

Safety or liability concerns

Timing of surplus food makes it difficult

Management policy

Lack of staff engagement or enthusiasm

Already composting food

Unaware of the consequences of wasted food

No easy financial incentive

Other (please specify)

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* 8. Which of the following actions do you believe would reduce wasted food within your business? Please check up to three.

Setting up a food donation program at your business

Assistance establishing a food donation program

Using a web/mobile platform to connect you with a nonprofit organization who needs surplus food

Consulting to track and prevent wasted food

Using a technology tracking tool to assist in measuring, managing, and preventing waste

Other (please specify)

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* 9. Would you be interested in participating in a regional working group that meets on a quarterly or semi-annual basis to collaborate and discuss challenges with food rescue in Santa Clara County?

Yes

I don't know

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* 10. What is the approximate value of surplus food (edible unsold or unserved food) your establishment has per day?

Under $500

$500 - $1,000

$1,000 - $2,000

Over $2,000

I don't know

Other (please specify)

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* 11. If you are interested in following up with a longer conversation, please leave your preferred contact information.

Your name

Phone number

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* 12. Do you have more to share? Please add additional thoughts, comments, or ideas.

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* 13. Do you know of another food service establishment in Santa Clara County who could take this survey? Please forward this survey to other food service entities in Santa Clara County or share contact information here of others who might contribute to this research.