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Pete's Garden is partnering with KC2026 and FIFA to recover surplus food from World Cup events across Kansas City this summer, turning what would otherwise go to waste into meals for families in need.
The nonprofit will collect food from matches at Arrowhead, Fan Fest and the hotels where teams are staying.
Tamara Weber, Pete's Garden executive director and founder, said the organization fills a gap that has long existed in food service.
"We focus specifically on prepared food," Weber said. "So, if you think about food from big events or when we have big football games, there's always surplus food that's prepared in advance. And if it's not all served, the chefs and the food service managers, prior to Pete's, didn't have an easy and convenient and safe way to donate it."
The initiative comes as food waste and food insecurity continue to intersect locally. In Kansas City, one in six children face food insecurity, while large-scale events generate significant amounts of surplus food.
Pete's Garden anticipates serving an additional 10,000 meals between June and July. That effort will cost the nonprofit an additional $25,000.
"Any support that the community can provide, we don't charge for our meals," Weber said. "This isn't processed — this is made from scratch, chef prepared food. We want our families to be able to enjoy like a restaurant-quality meal that they might not otherwise have access to."
Patrice Leslie, a volunteer at Pete's Garden, said the work reflects something deeper about Kansas City.
“I just find that to be even more rewarding," Leslie said. "Particularly now, we have people in our city, like I said, that are struggling. And just because we are having a funky good time, doesn’t mean that everyone else is having that same kind of feeling — you know that warm fuzzy feeling. At the ground level we have to be basic and really take care of our communities, and the communities are the people we see every single day.”
To learn more about how you can volunteer or donate, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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