Just the other day, Pita Jungle presented Arizona-based nonprofit Waste Not with a donation check for $8,598 — the result of two recent fundraising initiatives.
Back in March, the restaurant held an all-day promotion on National Pita Day and raised money for Waste Not, whose mission is all about creating sustainable food systems.
Additionally, funds were raised through the return of the restaurant’s “Empty Bowls” fundraiser in December. During the Empty Bowls event, guests purchased hand-crafted bowls, crafted by artists from the Arizona Clay Association. Each bowl sold for $20 and 100% of the proceeds went to Waste Not.
Waste Not works to create sustainable food systems that nourish people and protect the planet—an effort that aligns with Pita Jungle’s commitment to healthy living and community support.
“About 92 billion pounds of perfectly edible food in the United States is discarded annually. Meanwhile, one in eight Arizonans don’t have enough to eat. This isn’t just a social issue; it’s also an environmental crisis with severe consequences. When wasted food ends up in landfills, it quickly generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. In fact, landfills are the third-largest source of methane emissions in the United States. At Waste Not, we are working on changing this narrative every day, not just on Earth Day.”
For more information about Waste Not, visit wastenotaz.org. Pita Jungle is located at 7090 N. Oracle Rd. #128. For more information, visit pitajungle.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
