In this episode of Atlanta Business Radio, Lee Kantor interviews Erin Stieglitz, Founder, Executive Director, and Chief Rescue Officer of Bagel Rescue. Erin shares how a simple discovery of leftover bagels during the pandemic inspired her to create a nonprofit dedicated to reducing food waste and supporting hunger relief. Through partnerships with bakeries, volunteers, and community organizations, Bagel Rescue redistributes unsold bagels and baked goods to shelters, food pantries, schools, and other hunger relief agencies. Erin also discusses the organization’s growth, volunteer opportunities, corporate partnerships, and the importance of community involvement in solving local problems.
Erin Stieglitz is an experienced and dynamic leader, communicator, and connector. Her passionate and effective problem-solving, relationship-building, and communication skills have guided her life’s work in ways she could make an impact on how people think and feel, especially bringing them positive and engaging content.
Currently as Executive Director (and often called Chief Rescue Officer) of Bagel Rescue, she leads a team of more than 300 volunteers as they rescue bagels from 90 donor shops and deliver to more than 200 feeding programs in Atlanta.
She coordinates and maintains relationships with each of these vital individuals and entities. She also builds strategic community partnerships and focuses on the growth and development of the non-profit.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Political Science from Emory University, she set her sights on a career as an effective communicator. She spent nearly eight years in public relations at Turner Broadcasting where she oversaw publicity campaigns for high-profile television series for four networks.
Her days were devoted to collaborating with her own team, various other departments across the large corporation, and outside partners to develop creative and interesting promotional opportunities for her projects. Additionally, she managed budgets, team members, and special events. Early in her career, PR News named her among their “15 to Watch” as a budding PR professional and creative practitioner.
After her time at Turner, she started a new chapter as a co-owner of Steel Peach Communications, a boutique communications firm. She and her partner developed publicity and marketing campaigns for various brands across retail, entertainment, and non-profit sectors. She ran the business until the pandemic shed light on gaps in food rescue, and that’s when she founded Bagel Rescue.
At a young age growing up in Greenville, SC and Charlotte, NC, she took leadership roles in her reform temple youth group, and on the local and regional level of BBYO. Her internships with CNN Sports Illustrated in Atlanta and CNN International during the summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, as well as with the Atlanta Press Club and two sessions with a US senator in Charlotte, NC and in Washington D.C., enticed her to pursue a career in public relations.
Erin is an active member in her synagogue, her children’s school community, and her neighborhood. She lives in Brookhaven with her loving husband and two sons.
Follow Bagel Rescue on LinkedIn and Facebook.
What You’ll Learn In This Episode
- How Bagel Rescue transforms surplus bagels and baked goods into meaningful community support.
- The importance of connecting local bakeries with hunger relief organizations.
- How volunteer networks and community partnerships drive nonprofit growth.
- Ways businesses can support food rescue through corporate team impact events.
- The challenges and lessons involved in starting and growing a nonprofit organization.
- How rescued food provides both nourishment and moments of joy for individuals and families in need.
- Opportunities to get involved through volunteering, corporate partnerships, and financial support.
This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.
TRANSCRIPT
Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studio in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Atlanta Business Radio, brought to you by My Global Presence, the award winning Atlanta public relations agency that elevates brands and nonprofits through authentic storytelling and national media campaigns. Find them at myglobalpresence.com. Now, here’s your host.
Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here, another episode of Atlanta Business Radio and this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, My Global Presence. If you want global visibility and meaningful impact, go to myglobalpresence.com. Today on the show is a nonprofit that is near and dear to my heart and my wife’s heart. Though we are active volunteers with Bagel Rescue. And we have the founder, executive director and chief rescue officer Erin Stieglitz. Welcome.
Erin Stieglitz: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Lee Kantor: Well, I am so excited to be bringing Bagel Rescue to our listeners and let them know about all the good work that you’re doing. So do you mind sharing a little bit about kind of bagel rescue mission purpose, how you serving folks?
Erin Stieglitz: Sure. So Bagel Rescue is a food rescue specifically for bagels and baked goods. We rescue the unsold items at bagel shops and bakeries, and we donate them to hunger relief agencies like shelters, food pantries, youth programs, street outreach efforts, and more. So our mission is to reduce food waste and support hunger relief. One bagel at a time through community activation.
Lee Kantor: So what was kind of the origin story? How did this get started?
Erin Stieglitz: It was a chance discovery of bagel waste during the pandemic. My family typically does a service project around the holidays when the kids are out of school, and we could not do what we would normally do. And the holiday season of 2020, which was, you know, go to a shelter, make and serve a meal, something like that. And so I thought, well, let’s do something for the essential workers at the hospital near us. You know, they have to go to work. It’s not a job he could do remotely. And they were risking their lives taking care of Covid patients. This was pre-vaccine. And I thought maybe we could do something special for them. And so I called the hospital and they said a morale boosting breakfast would be great. And so I said, well, we can do that. And I was all set to buy some bulk bagels and spreads and bring some drinks and make some cards and bring it over to the hospital. And my son, who was nine at that time said, well, why would we buy bulk bagels? We really like bagels from our favorite bagel shop. And I, you know, did the mom thing. And I told him all the reasons why, you know, we couldn’t do that. We had to get it together in advance. And that wasn’t cost effective. And he decided that maybe they would want to help us if they knew what we were doing. And so he picked up the phone and called the manager of our favorite bagel shop. And, um, they agreed to give us the bagels from the day before. And we set up the date and there were hundreds of leftover bagels. And that was sort of the aha moment, um, the discovery. And, um, you know, from there, it just is something you can’t unsee. And I wanted to do something about that.
Lee Kantor: Yeah. And that was one of the biggest kind of aha moments for me as a volunteer. One of the first times going into one of those boba shops and then literally handing me bag after bag like huge garbage bags filled like hundreds and hundreds of bagels. I think in one trip we did 2 or 3 bagel stores, and there had to be a thousand bagels like it was. I couldn’t believe how they can afford to miscount or, or underestimate, um, that amount of bagels on a regular basis. I was happening to those bagels if there wasn’t a bagel rescue to kind of repurpose them.
Erin Stieglitz: So basically the bagels were being thrown away. Um, for the most part, I think some charities would come and ask for them occasionally. Um, but nobody was consistently picking them up. And so it’s, you know, I don’t think that the bagel shops enjoy throwing them away. It’s just they don’t have the bandwidth to deal with them, um, or know where to take them on a regular basis. So Bagel rescue came along as a responsible solution so that we could connect that good food and put it to good use for neighbors in need.
Lee Kantor: Now, when you’re talking or finding a bagel or a bakery or a place you know that has what you need, are they like? Thank you. Where have you been? Like, is that kind of, I don’t want to say an easy sale, but is it like, are you an answer to a problem that’s kind of bugging them?
Erin Stieglitz: Sometimes, yes. Um, in fact, the latest bagel shop that we onboarded here in Atlanta, um, was absolutely looking for a partner. Um, and we can go every day to collect their waste. Um, and they were super grateful. You know, when we were first starting out, it was a little different. I think people were skeptical, um, and not sure that we would be reliable. Um, not sure what we were doing with the food, but then once people got to know the program, um, and saw the impact and that takes a little while. Um, then everybody, you know, was super on board. And what’s really nice is, you know, we have, you know, six Goldbergs, 5 or 6 Goldbergs in town. And so, you know, once I had established a relationship with a few, then the other ones were very easy to onboard. Same with Einstein’s Brothers bagels and Brooklyn bagels and bagel boys. Um, you know, it just, you know, one after another, they just followed.
Lee Kantor: And then once you had kind of a critical mass, then everybody else, the independents are like, okay, this is a safe place to work with.
Erin Stieglitz: Right? And, you know, especially the mom and pops, you know, really, I think have this, um, you know, community vibe. It’s, it’s, those are their clients. Those are their customers. And so they really want to support the local community. Um, so we’re sort of, you know, in a way, doing each other a favor. We’re making sure that their food goes to good use and they’re building goodwill within their community and their customer base.
Lee Kantor: So now how did it kind of evolve from, I’m sure at the beginning was you. You know, going to a bigger place, you know, taking the bagels to the, the food, the. Needy place that people need bagels. Um, how did it kind of expand into an operation that you have now?
Erin Stieglitz: Right. So after that initial, um, delivery to the hospital, I called the bagel shop back that week and I asked if they always had that kind of waste because I was in shock, just like you when, when you guys, you know, did your first rescues. Um, and the manager said that he did. And so I asked him if we could take the bagels to the hospital once a week, and he agreed to do that. So, um, that’s how, you know, we got started, but it was really bothering me that I was only covering one bagel shop one day of the week. And so I started calling around and found out that all bagel shops have this waste. It’s sort of part of their model to overbake because they want to make sure customers have their favorite flavor anytime they walk in the door. And so, um, once I realized that, you know, all bagel shops have this, then I decided that I could be a community connector. To be honest, I really never meant for bagel to be as big as it is. But as more people started finding out about what I was doing and wanted to get involved, then you know, I just kept it going. And every time someone called from a different area, I would call on new bagel shops and new partner agencies, and I would make the connections all through volunteer support.
Lee Kantor: So, um, when did it kind of become named Bagel Rescue and not Aaron’s side hustle?
Erin Stieglitz: So, um, a friend of mine, once, you know, she knew what I was doing, she wanted to help. And, um, so she and her husband is an attorney and my husband is an attorney. And both husbands said, oh, we need you guys to incorporate this. And then eventually we got our 501 C three just, you know, as a level of protection liability, you know, etc.. And so, um, that was sort of just like, you know, it did not seem like we were really starting a nonprofit. It just felt like, okay, this was a necessary step, um, just for protection. And then, um, after my friend had to move on, I really was enjoying it. And people were, you know, wanting to get involved. And so it was growing. And I decided, wow, this is, you know, I really want to do this. This is my passion and this is, you know, um, this is adding a lot of meaning to my life. And so I decided to keep it going and was so glad that I had already, you know, laid that foundation of a nonprofit. Um, but then, you know, it has continued to grow since then. Um, that I think we incorporated in 2021. And here we are in 2026. And, um, we have rescued nearly 5 million bagels, and we are in 12 counties of metro Atlanta and and, uh, five cities outside of the state of Georgia. So we have, um, grown considerably since those early days.
Lee Kantor: Now, was it hard for you to get kind of the volunteers you needed, uh, to handle the different areas that were kind of outside of, you know, what you could physically go to?
Erin Stieglitz: Yes and no. And some of it was, um, we expanded to areas where volunteers had stepped forward. Um, and so that was easy. But what I realized is that once we onboarded a bagel shop, it was better to try to get all of the days that that bagel shop covered than just being sporadic. Um, it was just easier to be consistent. Um, and so then that’s where it became, you know, a little bit of a challenge to find more volunteers in a particular area. Um, it ebbs and flows, Um, you know, volunteers will do the, you know, be our, our weekly volunteers for a while and then they have to move on in their life and then we find new people. Um, so I, I love working with our volunteers. It is sometimes a challenge to find them, but it’s always a joy to work with them.
Lee Kantor: Now in, uh, in a specific area are the bagels rescued? And then you find a nonprofit that needs the bagels near, you know, in the area of where that bagels rescued or can the bagel end up anywhere in the metro area?
Erin Stieglitz: So for the most part, we keep things hyper local. So if someone is rescuing, say, in the perimeter area, then the bagels are gonna stay, you know, within that general area. Um, we do have some hubs where we will collect bagels and freezers. Um, so we can sort of prolong the freshness of the bagels and then those get moved in bulk, um, to other areas of town where there might not be on bagels, but there is need. And so we have discovered this model of um, collecting and then being more efficient with our distributions. Um, and that has been very helpful in our expansion.
Lee Kantor: And there’s lots of ways to volunteer, right? It’s not just rescuing the bagels from the bagel shop. There’s also the repackaging it and getting it ready for the places that need the bagels.
Erin Stieglitz: Right? So we have lots of opportunity. Um, some is just straight rescue and delivery. And we generally, um, deliver in bulk to our agencies, but we also offer opportunities to package bagels so that when it arrives at, say, a food pantry or a school, um, it is already packaged in Ziplocs so that it’s easier for them to distribute. And we do those programs we with, you know, any individual could do it or a family can do it. Um, and then we also will push into community groups, faith based groups, businesses, schools and offer sort of an educational and interactive project to do that bagel packing.
Lee Kantor: Right. It’s a great team building opportunity for a lot of business people out there, uh, to do some good. And, um, everybody worked together for a common cause.
Erin Stieglitz: Right? Exactly. And we’ve, we’ve been fortunate enough to work with a lot of, um, large Atlanta companies to do that. And we always find that, um, employees really enjoy it. Not only, you know, the aspect of giving back, but also just sort of, um, having this time with, with coworkers that isn’t structured around work. Um, but, you know, doing an activity where they just get to relax and talk.
Lee Kantor: Now when you work with organizations like that, do you frame it as a team building exercise that the company pays for? Um, or is this just strictly volunteer that they’re just helping you out kind of package the bagels.
Erin Stieglitz: So for companies we do we call it a team impact event. Um, and we do ask for reimbursement for supplies and a facilitation fee. And then um, many of them will make a donation, um, because they recognize that we’re offering, um, you know, something valuable not only to their employees, but to the community. Something that their employees get to impact the community. Um, and so we get either, you know, folded into a corporate giving, um, grant opportunity or, you know, there’s, you know, different ways that different companies structure their donations.
Lee Kantor: Now, do you partner with other nonprofits that are doing a complimentary thing that you’re doing in order to kind of expand the, the, um, impact?
Erin Stieglitz: Sometimes we do, um, and sometimes it’s actually driven by, a company, you know, say they’re having a big impact day or impact week, and then they’ll invite various non-profits in, um, at the same time, you know, to do projects. Um, we have done, you know, side by side projects where, you know, there’s only so many people that we can accommodate with any given big project because we do have to have the inventory, the bagel inventory. Um, and so, you know, we have sort of a max headcount. Um, but we can bring, you know, work it, work with another nonprofit to make it a bigger project. Um, so say if you know, a company has 100 people that they want to get through a project, then we can partner up and do something a little bit bigger. We’ve done that with schools too.
Lee Kantor: So what’s the sweet spot for you in terms of these corporate events or these corporate, um, or even, I guess, organization or, or faith based events, like how many people would is a good number for a good bagel rescue event at their location.
Erin Stieglitz: Sure. So if we’re just doing straight bagel packing, then we try to keep it under 20, maybe up to 25. Um, but we also rescue bread. And so we have the opportunity to make sandwiches with the bread. So often if a group is, say 50 people, we will have 20 people packing bagels and then 30 people making sandwiches with our rescued bread. Um, and so it’s, you know, something that more people can be involved in. Um, and we can use a variety of the food that we’re rescuing.
Lee Kantor: Now, any advice for the person that’s out there that like you, they, they kind of stumble upon a cause that’s important to them, but they’ve never done a nonprofit before, or they don’t have a spouse or a friend that’s a lawyer that can help them navigate that. Is there any advice for starting a nonprofit that you can share?
Erin Stieglitz: Sure. Um, starting a nonprofit is hard. It is running a business. I am not gonna lie. Um, I think I was fortunate in not knowing exactly what I was getting into, um, when I started it. Um, because, you know, I certainly have run into roadblocks and, um, jumped over a lot of hurdles, but I did it because I really believe in what I’m doing, um, and feel so passionate about it. Um, I truly believe that if you see a problem in the world, you should feel empowered to help solve the problem. We do not all have to be the entirety of a solution to a problem. Um, and we don’t all have to start a nonprofit just to solve a problem. Um, but I think we can all be involved in some way in solving the issues that we see, um, especially those that are kind of right in front of our face or, you know, land in the trunk of your car in my case. Um, but you know, if you do want to take the plunge. Um, you know, I would say, do you know, do your research in advance. Um, but you know, it is just step by step. It is like anything else that is hard in your life that you’re doing. You just have to take it piece by piece. I did not build this robust nonprofit overnight. Um, it was literally bagel shop by bagel shop, volunteer by volunteer, um, partner by partner.
Lee Kantor: Is there a story that you can share that maybe illustrates, uh, the impact Bagel Rescue makes? Have you got any feedback from the organizations that you work with on how they’re benefiting or how their, their people are benefiting from what you’re doing?
Erin Stieglitz: Sure. Um, this is a story that really sticks out to me. And it’s not necessarily about bagel rescue, um, in particular, but just the power of what we’re doing. So, um, this was last Thanksgiving, Really? About a year ago. Um, I was outside of a food pantry. I had just come from a school that sort of ran out of time and didn’t finish packaging up all the bagels that I had brought. And so I had brought in all the bagels that they did package. And they were, they were telling me that they were like some crazy amount of families were predicted to come through this food distribution. Um, the next day and I had Unpackaged bagels in my car and I had all the supplies and I said, I’m just going to sit here right outside and I’m gonna finish packing these bagels so that we can feed as many people as possible. And this woman came up to me as I’m just sitting, you know, on the edge of my car packaging bagels. And she starts telling me her story. And she said that she was a foster child. She when she was 18, she aged out and put herself in a shelter because she had nowhere else to go. And she remembered that in the shelter, they would bring in rescued bagels. She didn’t live in Georgia at the time, and, um, but she loved getting those bagels and trying all the different flavors. And it was such a strong, powerful memory for her. Um, just to have that like, delicious moment.
Erin Stieglitz: And she eventually worked her way out of the shelter, became self-sufficient, put herself through college, was a social worker. And at the time when I talked to her, she was studying to be a psychologist. And to me, well, those weren’t bagel rescues, bagels. That is what I hope we are doing for people. Just that moment of joy and pleasure from food, right? We all need food to sustain our bodies. It’s a basic need. And you know, it helps us thrive, but it also brings happiness and joy to have good, delicious food. Um, and that’s what she really drove home for me. Um, so that’s, that’s one story that will always stay with me. But, um, you know, also just, you know, there’s so many moments I still am on the road and, and rescuing and delivering all the time. And, um, you know, just getting to, um, you know, see people if I can, you know, hand them a bag of bagels, um, while they’re waiting maybe in line at a food pantry. Um, we have youth programs that tell us that they’ve cut their snack budget half. Um, because we can bring them bagels and, you know, there’s other rescued food and there’s other ways to get free food, but not everyone needs like the entirety of a grocery store leftovers, right? If you’re a youth program, you might just need that snack. And that’s what they can offer. Something very specific, um, delivered right to their door on the day they need it.
Lee Kantor: Now, um, you work with, I would imagine 100 ish, uh, shops around town. You you work with hundreds of programs around town, and you probably have hundreds of volunteers. What do you need more of? How could we help you?
Erin Stieglitz: Um, so always need more volunteers. Um, we work on a sort of a regular rotation where the same volunteer will do the same route, um, week to week, but we always need subs because people, you know, go on vacation and they have appointments and whatever. So, um, substitute volunteers are really important for us. Um, love working with new companies, um, or you know, community groups, um, so people can reach out to book a project with us. Um, and, you know, every nonprofit needs funding. Um, we cannot maintain all of our systems for success if we do not have adequate funding.
Lee Kantor: Good stuff. Well, Erin, thank you so much for doing what you do. It’s so important to the community. And it’s one of those things where it’s in front of you if you look, but not everybody knows about the good work you’re doing. So we’re happy to share your story. Um, if somebody wants to connect with you or volunteer or sponsor or have you show up to do a team building event, what is the website? What’s the best way to connect?
Erin Stieglitz: bagelrescue.com
Lee Kantor: All right, bagelrescue.com. I’m sure you can find that on all the socials as well as the website.
Erin Stieglitz: Yes, exactly. And thank you so much for having me. And for, uh, your volunteers of you and Abbe, uh, really appreciate you guys.
Lee Kantor: Well, we appreciate you. And thank you again for sharing your story. You’re doing important work and we appreciate it.
Erin Stieglitz: Thank you. Lee.
Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Atlanta Business Radio.
