Local Food, Big Impact

EZR Eats

EZR Eats picks up fresh, ready-made food that Westport restaurants and school events prepared but never served, and delivers it the same night to local community centers and shelters — free, safe, and student-run.

One resident asked if we had any meat — he said it had been a while since he'd had some. Before we left, a staff member told me that without what we'd brought, there wouldn't have been dinner at the Gillespie Center that night. — Eli Zev, recalling the night EZR Eats began
Our story

It started with a few tins of pasta.

Eli Zev is a junior at Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut, and a member of the Staples Boys Soccer team. EZR Eats began after a team dinner, when the team was left with several full tins of pasta — food made for the whole squad that never got served and would otherwise have been thrown out. Instead of tossing it, Eli and his teammates packed up the tins and brought them to the Gillespie Center, a local shelter, expecting it to be a one-time gesture.

It wasn't. A staff member explained that some residents hadn't had a hot meal like it in days, and that without those tins of pasta, there wouldn't have been dinner at the Gillespie Center that night. Eli realized the pasta wasn't a fluke — it was fresh, ready-made food that restaurants and school events across Westport produce every day and never get to serve, simply because the meal ended before it did. The food wasn't the problem. The gap between it and the people who needed it was.

EZR Eats exists to close that gap. Every night, Westport restaurants are left with fresh, ready-made meals — not scraps, not plate leftovers, but food that was made and simply never served — while local community members go without a reliable meal. EZR Eats picks that food up and delivers it directly to community centers and shelters the same night it's made, safely and for free.

Zero cost, zero hassle

No fees and no extra prep. Set food aside during your normal closing routine — we handle the rest.

Safety first

Every pickup follows clear handling and labeling guidelines, with adult oversight and a faculty advisor on every run.

Student-run, community-built

A Staples High School club built on student volunteers and real partnerships with local restaurants.

How it works

Complete service — we package, pick up, and deliver.

Your restaurant's role is simple: set food aside. We handle everything else, the same night.

1

Set food aside

At closing or throughout the day, set aside fresh, ready-made food that was prepared but never served — not scraps or plate leftovers. No extra prep, no extra cooking required.

2

We pick up & package

Student volunteers arrive at a scheduled, agreed-upon time, package the food into a clearly labeled EZR Eats box, and keep the pickup quick and non-disruptive to your staff.

3

Same-night delivery

Food is transported directly to a local community center or shelter that same night — while it's still fresh and ready to serve.

Safety and responsibility come first. All food is delivered the same night, the program operates with adult oversight and a faculty advisor, and we follow clear handling and labeling guidelines throughout. Participation is completely voluntary and flexible — we work around what's easiest for your restaurant.

For restaurants

Partner with EZR Eats.

By partnering with EZR Eats, your restaurant would:

  • ✓Reduce food waste, at no cost and no extra work
  • ✓Directly support people facing food insecurity in Westport
  • ✓Build a positive connection with local students and schools
  • ✓Be recognized publicly as a community partner, if desired

Prefer to talk it through first? Call (203) 291-9697 or email elisamzev@gmail.com — we're happy to set up a short call.

Become a food partner

Tell us about your restaurant — we'll follow up to set up a simple, scheduled pickup.

Get involved

Volunteer, spread the word, or help us grow.

EZR Eats runs on students who show up. Here's how to join in, whatever time you have.

Run a pickup

Join the volunteer rotation to package food and deliver it to a community center the same night.

Introduce a restaurant

Know a restaurant owner? A warm introduction is often all it takes to start a new partnership.

Support from home

Help with labels, scheduling, social media, or spreading the word at school and around Westport.

Who can volunteer?

Students, parents, and community members are all welcome. Every run has adult oversight, so students of any grade at Staples High School can take part.

Sign up below and we'll reach out with the next scheduled pickup near you.

Volunteer sign-up

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you'd like to help.

Where we're starting

Small club, honest numbers, real intent.

EZR Eats is a new, student-run initiative — we'd rather show you exactly where we are than inflate the story.

2026Founded at Staples High School
1Founding delivery — the Gillespie Center
1Town served — Westport, CT
$0Cost to restaurant partners

We're intentionally starting small — one restaurant, one center, one relationship at a time — so every delivery is safe, reliable, and handled with care. As we add partners and volunteers, we'll keep this page updated with real, verified numbers.

FAQ

Questions restaurants and neighbors ask us.

No. EZR Eats is completely free for restaurant partners. There's no fee, subscription, or extra preparation required — only food that would otherwise go unused.

Yes. We only collect fresh, ready-made food that was prepared but never served — not scraps or plate leftovers — and every pickup follows clear handling and labeling guidelines. Food is delivered the same night, under adult oversight, so it reaches people while it's still fresh.

That's completely fine. Participation is voluntary and flexible — we work around whatever schedule is easiest for your restaurant, whether that's nightly, weekly, or only on certain days.

Student volunteers from Staples High School, operating with adult oversight and a faculty advisor. Pickups are scheduled in advance and designed to be quick and non-disruptive to your staff.

Fill out the partner form above, call (203) 291-9697, or email elisamzev@gmail.com. We'll follow up to set up a short call and agree on a simple pickup schedule.