Prince William County's "Food Rescue Hero" app lets volunteers deliver groceries to those in need from a safe distance.

Help people in need, all at the touch of a phone app.

Prince William Food Rescue delivers food to the county's most vulnerable residents, and today they need more help than ever providing this necessary service during the coronavirus pandemic. With much of their volunteer staff being elderly and of the demographic reliant on these services, the team needs people who can safely do grocery drop-offs. They even rolled out a handy app to make volunteering as easy as possible!

The "Food Rescue Hero" app connects volunteers to distribution partners and food deliveries in the area (also called "food rescues"). Volunteers can download the app and create a profile, where they will be directed to nearby deliveries that can be claimed, much like rideshare apps. Deliveries are offered within five miles of the recipient's home and take no more than 30 minutes to complete. Volunteers are free to claim as many trips as they like.

One of the nonprofit's top initiatives is preventing food waste and hunger. Leftover food from restaurants and grocery stores otherwise tossed in the garbage are instead delivered to at-risk communities, including shut-in seniors who may not be able to leave their homes. Plus, the delivery methods allow safe distancing between volunteers and recipients—food is to be dropped off at the recipient's front door.

For over 50 years, Action in Community Through Service (ACTS) has empowered Prince William County with communal lifelines like food banks, homeless shelters, domestic violence prevention resources, and so much more. Their programs, which include Prince William Food Rescue, "fosters hope, provides relief, and promotes self-sufficiency for our Prince William area neighbors in crisis." During these challenging times, it gives us hope to see people stepping up to the plate and helping one another!

The app is accessible to Apple and Android devices and can be downloaded from their respective app stores. If you are interested in volunteering, check out their website to find out more.

Are you planning on becoming a "Food Rescue Hero" or volunteering in your community? Share your experiences in the comment section!