Donations
Recovering surplus cafeteria food and delivering it to Loudoun Hunger Relief.
Youth-led · Loudoun County, VA
Second Harvest
Students recovering surplus school cafeteria food for neighbors facing hunger in Loudoun County.
501(c)(3) nonprofit
Student-led since 2023
Delivering to Loudoun Hunger Relief
Our mission
Good food belongs on a plate, not in the trash.
Second Harvest recovers surplus school cafeteria food for neighbors facing hunger, and teaches the next generation that no good meal should go to waste.
What is Second Harvest?
Started by students, run by students.
Every Friday, untouched and nutritious cafeteria meals were being thrown away at local high schools, while families in the same community went without. In 2023, three high school students set out to close that gap.
Today, student ambassadors across Loudoun County collect surplus cafeteria food for Loudoun Hunger Relief and visit elementary schools to teach younger students about food waste and food insecurity.
Education
Classroom lessons that teach elementary students about food waste and hunger.
Partnerships
Working with LCPS School Nutrition Services, schools and local food banks.
Awareness
Sharing the story online and in the community so more people take action.
Impact so far
Small trays, big numbers
3,000+pounds of food recovered
~1,000meals for neighbors
60+student ambassadors
7Loudoun high schools
800+elementary students reached
Get involved
Bring Second Harvest to your school.
Lead a chapter at your high school, or join as an LCPS ambassador and help with collections at a school that already has one. Pick a path:
Chapter application
For students who want to launch and lead Second Harvest at their high school.
- Organize regular cafeteria food collections at your school
- Recruit and lead a team of student ambassadors
- Get training and support from the Second Harvest team
Ready to lead?
The application takes about 10 minutes. We'll follow up by email with next steps.
Open chapter applicationWant the details first? Read how chapters work.
LCPS ambassador form
For Loudoun County Public Schools students who want to volunteer with a Second Harvest chapter.
- Help collect, weigh and pack surplus cafeteria food
- Teach elementary students about food waste and hunger
- Join 60+ ambassadors making a difference across Loudoun
Become an ambassador
Tell us your school and availability, and we'll connect you with your local chapter.
Open ambassador formQuestions? Contact our team.
Your school,
our next harvest.
Every chapter means more meals for Loudoun families and less good food in the trash.
About us
Our story
Three students, one cafeteria problem, and a plan to make sure good food reaches the people who need it.
How it started
It began with a Friday lunch.
Second Harvest was founded in 2023 by three students at the Academies of Loudoun, in the Academy of Engineering and Technology pathway. Looking for a project aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, they chose Goal #2: Zero Hunger.
They noticed that every Friday, untouched and nutritious cafeteria meals were being thrown away, while families in the same community faced food insecurity. So they built a way to recover that food and get it to Loudoun Hunger Relief, the leading food bank in Northern Virginia.
Swara ReddyAnvi BorkarSaanvi Celamkoti
Mission and vision
Mission
Recover surplus school cafeteria food for neighbors facing hunger, and teach the next generation that no good meal should go to waste.
Vision
A Loudoun County where no edible school meal is thrown away and no family goes hungry.
Why we exist
Hunger and food waste are the same problem, seen from two sides.
These are the facts we share in elementary classrooms. Good food is thrown away every day while neighbors go without. Second Harvest connects the two.
700,000
Virginians face food insecurity
44 million
people in the U.S. lack enough food
1 in 8
U.S. families are challenged with food issues
1 in 5
U.S. children face hunger
How we operate
From cafeteria tray to food bank
Student ambassadors run every step, with support from LCPS School Nutrition Services and school staff.
Collect
At each partner high school, ambassadors work with cafeteria staff to set aside untouched, unserved meals that would otherwise be thrown out.
Log & pack
Food is weighed, recorded and packed safely so every pound is counted.
Deliver
Recovered food goes to Loudoun Hunger Relief, which gets it to families across the county.
Teach
Ambassadors visit elementary schools to teach younger students about food waste and food insecurity.
Donations
Food recovery from school cafeterias.
Education
Lessons for elementary classrooms.
Partnerships
Schools, LCPS and local food banks.
Awareness
Telling the story so others act.
Our impact
By the numbers
Every tray counts. Here's what student ambassadors have done since 2023.
3,000+pounds of food recovered
~1,000meals donated
60+student ambassadors
800+elementary students reached
+200%membership growth last year
Impact visuals
What 3,000 pounds looks like
Nearly 1,000 meals recovered
Food that would have been thrown away, delivered to Loudoun Hunger Relief instead.
Membership tripled in one year
Membership grew by more than 200% over the past year as new schools joined.
| Year | Membership (relative) |
|---|---|
| Last year | 1× |
| This year | 3× (+200%) |
Where we work
7 high schools, 60+ ambassadors
Second Harvest runs food recovery at seven LCPS high schools, with student ambassadors at every one.
- Briar Woods High School
- Broad Run High School
- Freedom High School
- John Champe High School
- Lightridge High School
- Riverside High School
- The Academies of Loudoun
In the classroom
800+ elementary students reached
Ambassadors teach about food waste and food insecurity at partner elementary schools.
- Goshen Post Elementary
- Mill Run Elementary
- Henrietta Lacks Elementary
- Arcola Elementary
- Hutchinson Farm Elementary
Milestones
Year by year
From one school's cafeteria to a county-wide student movement.
- 2023
Second Harvest is founded
Swara Reddy, Anvi Borkar and Saanvi Celamkoti launch Second Harvest at the Academies of Loudoun, inspired by UN SDG #2: Zero Hunger. Teacher Mr. Alec Loyd helps start the first chapter at ACL.
Growing to seven LCPS high schools
Second Harvest expands across Loudoun County Public Schools, with support from LCPS Nutrition Manager Ms. Irene Stevens.
- 2025
Top 10 at StepUp Loudoun
Second Harvest places in the top 10 at the StepUp Loudoun Youth Competition.
- Dec
2025Loudoun Times-Mirror top story
Our work is featured as a top story in the Loudoun Times-Mirror.
- 2026
Top 10 again, and membership triples
A second top-10 finish at StepUp Loudoun, membership up more than 200%, 800+ elementary students reached and 1,000+ Instagram followers.
- Today
3,000+ pounds and counting
Nearly 1,000 meals recovered for Loudoun Hunger Relief, and new chapters are always welcome.
Get involved
Start a chapter
Turn your school's leftover lunches into meals for Loudoun families. We'll help you every step of the way.
Who can start one?
Any Loudoun County high school student who cares about hunger and food waste and is ready to lead. You don't need experience, just commitment and a few friends who want to help.
What does a chapter do?
Chapters recover surplus cafeteria food for Loudoun Hunger Relief, track every pound, visit elementary classrooms to teach about food waste, and spread the word at school and online.
Step by step
From idea to first pickup
Most chapters go from application to their first collection in a few weeks.
Apply
Fill out the chapter application and tell us about your school and your team.
Meet the team
We'll set up a call to walk you through how Second Harvest works and answer your questions.
Get approval & a sponsor
Find a faculty sponsor and connect with your school's administration and cafeteria manager.
Recruit ambassadors
Build a crew of student ambassadors to share collections, logging and outreach.
Launch your first collection
Start recovering food, log your pounds and celebrate your first delivery to Loudoun Hunger Relief.
Requirements
What you'll need
- Be a current Loudoun County high school student
- A faculty sponsor at your school
- Approval from your school's administration and cafeteria staff
- A starting team of at least a few committed ambassadors
- Commitment to regular collections and logging pounds recovered
- Follow food safety guidelines on every pickup
Application form
Ready to bring Second Harvest to your school? Start your application today.
Open chapter applicationAlready in a chapter? Use the LCPS ambassador form.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Can't find what you need? Reach out and a member of our team will get back to you.
Does it cost anything to start a chapter?
No. Starting a Second Harvest chapter is free. We provide guidance, materials and support.
How much time does it take?
Collections usually take a short time after lunch on collection days. Leaders spend a bit more time coordinating the team and logging results.
Is the food safe to donate?
We only recover untouched, unserved food and follow food safety guidelines from LCPS School Nutrition Services and Loudoun Hunger Relief.
Can I get volunteer hours?
Ambassadors and chapter leaders can log their time with Second Harvest. Ask your school counselor how service hours are recorded at your school.
My school isn't in Loudoun County. Can I still start a chapter?
We're focused on Loudoun County right now, but we'd love to hear from you. Send us a message and tell us about your school.
What's the difference between a chapter leader and an ambassador?
Chapter leaders start and run Second Harvest at their school. Ambassadors volunteer with an existing chapter, helping with collections and classroom visits.
Testimonials
In their words
What partners, team members and sponsors say about working with Second Harvest.
We're collecting stories from our partners, including food banks, schools and LCPS staff. Yours could be here.
Ambassadors and chapter leaders: what has Second Harvest meant to you? Tell us about your team experience.
Our sponsors make this work possible. We'd love to share why you support student-led food recovery.
With gratitude
People who made it possible
Ms. Irene Stevens
LCPS Nutrition Manager, a key supporter of cafeteria food recovery.
Mr. Alec Loyd
Started the first Second Harvest chapter at the Academies of Loudoun.
Loudoun Hunger Relief
Our food bank partner, getting recovered food to families across the county.
News & media
In the news
Press coverage, recognition and the latest from our Instagram.
Loudoun Times-Mirror
These students started Second Harvest so others will have enough to eat
South Asian HeraldLCPS Students Take Lead on Food Insecurity and Food Waste
Recognition
Top 10, StepUp Loudoun Youth Competition
Recognized in both 2025 and 2026.
Follow the harvest
Join 1,000+ followers for collection updates, classroom visits and new chapter launches.
Contact
Say hello
Questions, ideas or partnership opportunities? We'd love to hear from you.
General contact
Questions about Second Harvest, volunteering or our programs.
Send a messagePartnership inquiries
Schools, food banks, businesses and sponsors: let's work together to fight hunger in Loudoun.
Propose a partnershipStart a chapter
Want to bring Second Harvest to your high school? Start here.
Chapter info