As we step into our 35th year of service, Potluck Food Rescue looks back on 2024—a year of monumental growth, unwavering resilience, and an undeniable commitment to our mission. It was a year that tested us in every way, yet through every challenge, we emerged stronger, more determined, and more impactful than ever.
A Year of Change and Challenge
Early 2024 brought a transition in executive leadership, a pivotal shift that came with its own set of challenges. After seven years of exceptional leadership at Potluck Food Rescue, Executive Director Sylvia Blain accepted the CEO position with the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, truly a fitting role for such a long-time powerhouse in the local hunger relief movement here in the central Arkansas area. A well deserved moment and a decision that was no doubt difficult. Her efforts brought Potluck Food Rescue a revitalized sense of purpose and new life with graceful determination to make a difference. Her predecessor would step into difficult shoes to fill. A challenge that unfortunately was short lived. The organization faced a critical moment of change—one that required those who truly understood our mission to step forward with a similar determination to that of Director Blain.
Mid-year brought another transition, this time in the Operations Manager position, making it clear that this was not just a period of change, but a test of our collective resilience and unwavering commitment to food rescue. Robert Borden stepped up to the role. Shamaya Candy and Beth Satterfield, the glue of Potluck Food Rescue and long standing Potluck team members, stepped into leadership roles as well. Their love for the value of Potluck Food Rescue breathed new life into our mission and defined the vision of hope needed to reignite passionate understanding in food systems work.
During this transitional phase, Potluck never wavered. In fact, we did what we’ve always done—we showed up, we kept going, and we rescued more food than ever before. Thanks to the dedication of those who believe in the moral values that Potluck Food Rescue stands for, we not only navigated leadership changes but also achieved unprecedented levels of impact.
The Back Half of 2024: A Surge in Need, A Surge in Growth
Despite internal challenges, the latter half of 2024 saw record-breaking food recovery and redistribution. The growing need for food assistance in Central Arkansas was met with an incredible response from our donors, volunteers, and community partners.Under the steadfast leadership of Interim Director Sylvia Blain, who stepped back into a partial Executive Director role after her predecessor’s resignation, and Interim Director Chris Wyman, whose extensive experience in food systems work helped refocus and revitalize the mission, Potluck rose to the occasion.
The numbers speak for themselves:
📦 1,074,902 pounds of food rescued – breaking our all-time record!
🍽️ 895,752 meals recovered – ensuring food reached people, not landfills.
🚗 691.8 metric tons of CO₂ prevented – keeping the equivalent of 165 cars off the road for a year!
💧 123.45 million gallons of water saved – enough to fill 187 Olympic-size swimming pools!
🔥 5.78 metric tons of methane eliminated – preventing the effects of 225,000 pounds of food waste in landfills!
And perhaps most impactful of all…
👨👩👧👦 74,646 families fed for a day
🍽 24,882 families fed for three days
🏡 2,074 families fed for an entire year
What makes these numbers even more extraordinary is that the last six months of 2024 accounted for the bulk of this growth. The need increased, the demand surged, and Potluck stepped up.
The Heart of Potluck: People Who Make It Possible
None of this would have been possible without the relentless dedication of our staff, volunteers, food donors, and partners. Through mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion, this team pushed forward. The heart of Potluck Food Rescue is its people—those who believe that food should be eaten, not wasted and that no one should go hungry, regardless of their life circumstances.
2024 was our most defining year yet. It tested us, it stretched us, and it ultimately proved that Potluck Food Rescue is not just a nonprofit—it’s a movement. A movement rooted in compassion, resilience, and an unshakable belief that we can change lives through food rescue.
As we step into 2025, we do so with renewed energy, unstoppable momentum, and a commitment to growing our impact even further. Because hunger doesn’t wait—and neither do we.
💚 Thank you for being part of this mission. Here’s to another year of breaking records and making a difference!