Press & Recognition
Peninsula Food Runners In The News
Peninsula Food Runners Awarded 2025 Grant Through Palo Alto Community Fund
The Palo Alto Community Fund (PACF) serves as a catalyst for positive change and an enduring community resource, working to ensure a vibrant Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, and Menlo Park. PACF invests in impactful organizations that address critical community needs. One of its key priorities is addressing food insecurity, for which Peninsula Food Runners was recognized.
California law mandates a 75% reduction in organic waste in landfills by 2025, along with the recovery of 20% of edible food that would otherwise be discarded. CalRecycle has contributed to Peninsula Food Runners, one of several food rescue organizations working to address the issue.
Peninsula Food Runners and Founder Maria Yap Featured
“For the many people who have to choose between eating and other necessities, like paying for medication or electricity, Peninsula Food Runners fills a critical need.”
– Palo Alto Online
Since 2013, the Peninsula Food Runners has been fulfilling its mission to nourish families while reducing the environmental impacts of food waste. For Thanksgiving, the nonprofit has a goal to purchase over 2,000 holiday meals for families and homeless individuals across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.”
– Maria Yap, in conversation with Jennifer Yoshikoshi of The Almanac, Nonprofit local news for the Midpeninsula
“The organization relies on a web-based application to identify companies offering to donate food, then sends a nearby driver to pick up and deliver the shipment to an organization capable of serving it to the needy”…” with the abundance of perishable food that can be donated to the needy, there is no reason for it to go to waste.”
– Maria Yap, in conversation with The Daily Journal.
Peninsula Food Runners played a vital role in aiding the hungry by partnering with the City of San Jose during the pandemic.
– The Mercury News Peninsula Food Runners
Board members Maria, Molly, Kristin, Jonna, and Tod, along with members of 100 Women Charitable Foundation. Peninsula Food Runners proudly earned grant awards in both 2018 and 2023.
“Peninsula Food Runners, an organization that delivers surplus food to nonprofit groups that feed the hungry, has planted roots in Los Altos and hopes to aid Santa Clara County in efforts to reduce waste.”
– Los Altos Online
This is an incredible story about an amazing woman, Maria Yap, and her journey to creating Peninsula Food Runners in Northern California. Maria shares her family stories of humble beginnings with host Lissa Kreisler and emphasizes how her passion for stopping food waste drove her and her husband to create “Chow Match,” a food distribution system for corporations and volunteers. Through this system, Maria has created a rewarding opportunity for volunteers to participate in the ongoing efforts to collect and bring food to those in need