Nearly 60 million tons, 120 billion pounds — that is how much food is wasted every year in the USA alone. This is 40 percent of the entire US food supply and 22 percent of municipal solid waste (MSW). The approximate value of this waste is nearly $218 billion. Does it make you want to get up and take action? Simone Biles’ Olympic teammate is taking some action!

It is the Leanne Wong Foundation, owned by Olympic champion Leanne Wong. This nonprofit organization aims to help those who do not have easy access to food. The idea came to Wong while she was in a Florida dining hall. While talking to Inside Gymnastics, she said, “I wanted it to be somewhat food-related, because I’ve always realized how much food gets wasted, and how much we take advantage of the food that we do have, and just knowing that so many countries and other people have no food.” Many third-world countries have people who do not even have bread to eat.

Visiting the dining halls late at night made her notice a lot of food being dumped. She spoke with the hall staff who mentioned, “Yeah, like, we have this leftover food, we can donate it, but someone needs to come pick it up.” That is when Wong decided to become the bridge for this donation. The answer to the question, “How are we going to get it to somewhere where it could be used?” was Grace Marketplace, the local homeless shelter in Gainesville.

The Olympic gymnast further told Inside Gymnastics, “I’ve been delivering the food. I pack it up on the weekends and then get it delivered to the homeless shelters. Almost every week we have over 50 pounds of food, and probably up to 200 pounds, sometimes more or less.” The Leanne Wong Foundation was established in September 2024, and in 2024 alone, it has carried out more than 18 total donations/pickups, fed over 7000 people, and donated more than 1154 lbs of food.

Simone Biles and Leanne Wong both excelled in gymnastics and community service. Simone Biles herself is involved in charity work, including being the voice for children.

“It is my hope that everyone who needs a ‘Friend’ can have a Friend so they, too, can be fearless, courageous, achieve their big dreams, and have fun while doing it,” said Biles. The 11-time Olympic medalist works with Friends of the Children, an organization that nurtures long-term relationships with foster youth to help them discover their life’s purpose and realize their potential.

Biles, who received help in her early childhood to achieve her dreams, is now giving back. She stated, “I know exactly what these kids go through and what they need to be successful when they’re older: having one constant person in their life from when they’re young, all the way through high school graduation.” The Olympian has worked to bring this organization to Houston and dedicated her second Wheaties box appearance in 2023 to Friends of the Children.