1 1 8 8 Americans struggles with hunger. Yet, 40% of food produced in the U.S. is thrown away. out of S peaking of mentors, Garnes takes her role as mentor seriously and encourages others to consider working in a field that she concedes isn’t exactly the sexiest. “We have doctors who work for Fry’s and Kroger. We have engineers, food technology people, you name it,” she said. “If you’re not afraid of new opportunities and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, the sky’s the limit in terms of potential roles you can have within our company.” Another perk of working at Fry’s? A chance to take on huge societal problems — namely, food insecurity and food waste. There’s a fundamental absurdity baked into the grocery business. One in eight Americans struggles with hunger. Yet, 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. is thrown away. Fry’s is working to end hunger in our community by 2025 through its Zero Hunger / Zero Waste initiative, which was introduced three years ago. “The thing that has evolved since I started with the company is finding great partnerships to be able to divert food that may have been wasted in the past.” NOV/DEC 2020 | 24 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA

Through campaigns, food drives and their Food Rescue program, Fry’s donated more than 11 million meals to hungry families in 2019. “Whether it ’s rescuing healthy, nutritious food from our stores that typically may have been thrown out, or donating items that have damaged packaging, like a dented can, and through food drives, we’re able to partner with food banks and feed families,” Garnes said. On the flip-side is waste, which Fry’s is also working to address. “We’ve diverted 69 percent of our food waste from landfills, sending it to livestock feeding or composting programs,” Garnes said. Fry’s has also made a big push on recycling, with nearly 90 million pounds of cardboard and plastics recycled last year. “The thing that has evolved since I started with the company is finding great partnerships to be able to divert food that may have been wasted in the past,” Garnes said. Those partners appreciate Fry’s efforts. “Fry’s is an integral part of the Arizona community and deserves the highest praise,” said Todd Cooley, manager of corporate development at St. Vincent de Paul. “Fry’s Zero Hunger / Zero Waste initiative aligns so well with SVdP’s Feed. Clothe. House. Heal. mission and, because of that, together we can make a difference.” G arnes’s task, then, is to amass a team with the spirit to push hard to meet some audacious goals. “How do we think about eliminating hunger in the communities that we call home, for Fry’s and the entire Kroger family of stores, and also eliminating waste in our company by 2025?” she asked. Of course, the pandemic hasn’t made those goals easier. COVID has ushered in a slew of changes that makes feeding the community and combating hunger more critical, while also making it more challenging. “A top priority for us is the safety of our associates and our customers. So we have looked for ways to create the safest space for associates to work and for customers to shop,” Garnes said. “Along the way, it’s meant simplifying processes, removing layers and being able to move at a speed that we may never have thought possible in the past.” Of course, all of those changes have meant added stress and Garnes sa ys they’re all trying to adjust. “I think about our associates who have been doing amazing work in our stores. And then let’s add on the fact that they may now be homeschooling children,” she said. “We are trying to find the balance of supporting people for what they need, not only professionally here at Fry’s, but in their personal lives as well.” Pounds of Total Waste Diverted From Landfills 107M 107M FRONTDOORS MEDIA | 25 | NOV/DEC 2020