About Our Org
Salvage Compost, a dynamic spin-off from its parent company, Northwest Mutual Aid Collective, was founded in 2024 to address the growing need for sustainable waste management within the nonprofit world. With Northwest Mutual Aid collectives’ operations generating substantial amounts of organic waste due to the food recovery premise, Salvage Compost was born out of a commitment to environmental stewardship and the vision to transform food waste into valuable resources for urban farmers and community growers around Philadelphia. Through its efforts, Salvage Compost aims to create a ripple effect that encourages more environment-friendly practices throughout society.Our Mission
Our mission is to support local nonprofits, mutual aid groups, and food recovery programs in reducing their carbon footprint by diverting food waste from landfills through community composting, education, and outreachOur Story
In 2023, our founder, Anthony James, was serving as the program coordinator for Northwest Mutual Aid Collective (NWMAC), the parent organization of Salvage Compost. While working to recover surplus food across Philadelphia, he sought a way to close the loop—ensuring that even the food that couldn't be distributed wouldn’t go to waste.Anthony initially reached out to local composting companies to build partnerships, but financial constraints made collaboration difficult—a challenge many food banks and nonprofits face when trying to manage waste sustainably. Determined to find a solution, he used grant funding designated for educational initiatives to attend the 2023 PASA Conference. There, through conversations with peers and local farmers, the idea for Salvage Compost was born.
Rather than paying others to haul away organic waste, Anthony founded Salvage Compost as a subsidiary of NWMAC, creating an in-house solution to turn food waste into nutrient-rich compost. This initiative not only reduces waste but also supports sustainable food systems—bringing us one step closer to a truly circular economy.
Now, Salvage Compost is taking the original mission even farther by not only closing the loop within its parent organization but also working with local leaders and nonprofits to integrate waste reduction into the core missions of organizations like Northwest Mutual Aid Collective.