We had the good fortune of connecting with Barbara Bronstein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Barbara, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
An estimated 40% of food goes to waste, yet more than 16% of Houstonians struggle with food insecurity.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I hated seeing good food go to waste at banquets from last minute no-shows. So I sought a solution, did extensive research, piloted a program, and then launched Second Servings of Houston. We pick up surplus unserved and unsold food from over 400 food businesses (such as manufacturers, retailers, and distributors) and deliver it directly to more than 90 local charities (including soup kitchens, homeless shelters, pantries, and others.)

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take my best friend on a food rescue. First stop would be Trader Joe’s. Seeing the incredible quality of the food we pick up everyday is mind-blowing. Their friendly crew members really appreciate being able to share their surplus food with the community that doesn’t get to shop there. Next stop is a charity site–perhaps a shelter for abused women and children or a soup kitchen serving lunch 5 days a week to anyone in need. The resident cooks are so grateful for the wonderful assortment of produce, dairy products, meat, and more–food they often don’t receive, primarily due to cost. It would be an eye-opening, fun day that would leave us with the satisfaction that we fed people, instead of the landfill.


Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Founders of 3 outstanding nonprofits have helped guide and encourage me. These include Shelly Cyprus (SEARCH), Amy Weiss (Undies for Everyone), and Kayla Lehmann (Nora’s Home.)

Website: https://secondservingshouston.org

Instagram: @secondservingshouston

Linkedin: @secondservingshouston

Twitter: @secondservingshouston

Facebook: @secondservingshouston

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