MINNEAPOLIS -- From food to winter gear, donations are coming in to local nonprofits and initiatives after Super Bowl 52.
As part of the NFL's zero-waste initiative, unserved food is being redirected from different Super Bowl events.
Second Harvest Heartland has been working with the NFL Environmental Program since last year and is making sure the surplus food goes to local shelters and community kitchens.
"The Super Bowl event is not just the game, there's all of the parties and receptions and the like. So food has been coming in over the past several days," said Daniel Gumnit, CEO of People Serving People in Minneapolis.
People Serving People is the region's largest shelter for children and families experiencing homelessness. Located just blocks from U.S. Bank Stadium, they shelter 350-370 people on any given night. Gumnit said they serve more than 250,000 meals a year.
"It's certainly been an adventure having the Super Bowl in town but one of the really great benefits is there's a lot of food that's not going to waste," Gumnit said.
According to Gumnit, in the past few days they have received about 20 pallet loads of non-perishable food, 20 racks of fresh food like salads and entrees, as well as meat and seafood. On Monday, they received food that came from events at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
"All of us as community partners have worked together," Gumnit said. "We've been helping each other out and it's really great to see this outpouring of support that a big event like this can create."
Super Bowl visitors are also giving back.
Just a few days ago, Nancy Killilea of Edina started "Pass Your Parka" as a way for fans to drop off winter gear they won't need at home.
Boxes are set up at more than 14 hotels and a couple private airports. Donations will go to St. Stephen's Human Services and House of Charity to help people experiencing homelessness.
"It's been really exciting. I went into the Radisson Blu downtown and NBC sports had been staying there and just left the most beautiful coats... Marmot, brand new coats because some of their guests were going back to LA and they didn't need them," Killilea said.
Killilea plans on picking up the boxes on Tuesday and Wednesday but is already encouraged by the donations that have come in.
"People have been fabulously generous," she said.
You can find out more information about Pass Your Parka here.