If you've ever participated in a marathon, half-marathon, or 5K, you've almost certainly used the promise of food at the finish line to motivate yourself. Exhausted runners need something to replace the hundreds, if not thousands, of calories they've just burned, so the race organizers make sure to have plenty of apples, bananas, protein bars, and water at the finish to help the athletes replenish their energy. Runners aren't shy about helping themselves, but inevitably there's always more food than they can possibly consume. What happens to the leftovers?
Instead of throwing the food away, some marathons look to donate their food to people who need it most. For example, the Seattle Marathon, always looks to donate their leftover food those suffering from hunger, which is a bigger issue than many people may realize. One out of every 5 children in the state goes to bed hungry each night. One out of 7 residents in Washington rely on food stamps to help make ends meet. Meanwhile, 40% of the food produced in the United States each year is lost or wasted.
Wanting to do their part in the fight against hunger and food waste, the Seattle Marathon partnered with Golden Services a local moving based in Lakewood. Golden Services sent their crew and a truck near the finish line on race day. When the marathon wrapped up, Golden Services' team packed up everything that went unused and delivered it to the Tacoma Rescue Mission.
"Golden Services loves to work in tandem with the folks at Move for Hunger, as it is a perfect partnership between movers and a very worthwhile charitable organization," said Vikki Kelly, Golden Services's Business Development Manager. "I can’t think of a better pairing!"
When all was said and done, more than 1,850 lbs of food and beverages were provided to families in need!
"So many families in our surrounding communities are in need of assistance, especially during this time of year, so anything we can do to help is a win for us, as well," Kelly said.
"Our partnership with Golden Services began because they were so generous and kind about picking up the items," said Melissa Valenzuela, Event Manager for the Seattle Marathon Association. "Vikki at Golden Services was helpful and provided great customer service. The drivers also felt like they were doing more than just picking up items. That was important for us as an organization, to team up with folks who care and are thoughtful."
In addition to the food, runners were asked to leave any warm clothing they'd like to donate at the starting line, which resulted in 20 bags of jackets, sweatshirts, and sweaters being donated to the Tacoma Rescue Mission just in time for the winter months.
"We've only partnered with Move for Hunger and Golden Services for the past two years, and, it has been fantastic," Valenzuela said. "It just made great sense to do some good with our leftover products and clothing left on the course."
Kelly agreed.
"It has been a great partnership that we hope to continue for many years to come!"
