Green Bay nonprofit rescues over 7,000 pounds of NFL Draft food to help families in need

GREEN BAY (WLUK) — The NFL Draft drew 600,000 people to Titletown, but there’s a lot of food leftover from the three-day event.

Instead of letting it go to waste, a Green Bay nonprofit is stepping up to get that food to people in need.

Rooted In Inc. has collected 7,145 pounds of food and beverages so far since the draft wrapped up Saturday.

“This food would have ended up in the garbage or in the landfill,” Rooted In founder and executive director Selena Darrow said.

Darrow said it’s Rooted In’s mission to rescue food from being wasted, and they saw the draft as a key opportunity to help hundreds of struggling families facing food insecurity.

“To be able to feed people, we know who so desperately need the food, has just put smiles on everyone’s faces,” Darrow said.

Rooted In has collected a majority of the food from catered draft events, along with vendors with unsold leftovers. They’ve collected meal staples like salads, meat, dairy, fresh produce, cheese and much more.

“Through working with the draft, we’ve had access to those types of foods, and I think that’s why it’s so important that those foods did not go to the landfill and ended up in our community,” Darrow said.

The thousands of pounds of food is being distributed to 13 area pantries and shelters, like the Salvation Army, Golden House and the NEW Community Shelter — receiving food they never even dreamed of getting.

“From different sandwiches to salads to cheese curds, we’ve got pretty much a ton,” NEW Community Shelter meal director Sara Smith said.

Smith said they’ve gotten so many draft leftovers, they’re getting low on space.

“Yesterday I had my staff and they’re [like], ‘Sara, we don’t have nowhere else to put it,’ so I was just like ‘Bring it in!’” she said.

However, all that fresh food is allowing their cooking staff to be more creative and cook healthier for guests. Smith said lately, inflation has been hurting their supply.

“We haven’t been getting a huge amount of donations in, and a lot of the donations have been expired food, so with seeing all the fresh food come in, it’s something different,” Smith said.