Food Security
Our work aims to reduce food insecurity in the community by providing healthy meals and distributing food and produce where it's needed most.
contact usMAXIMIZING THE IMPACT OF FOOD
Our food security programs feed and sustain each other to maximize the benefits of fresh, healthy and nutritious food. We purchase, recover and upcycle food to help feed the community through our Mobile Community Market and Community & School Meals Programs.
Food Resourcing
While FareStart purchases most of the food for its various social enterprises and food security work, we strategically resource food in a variety of ways:
- Food donations through grocery stores, other food-based businesses and farm gleaning.
- Purchasing funds and agreements through partnerships with other food security and food recovery organizations.
Our program is successful
Our food security work has a nourishing impact on our community.
meals prepared
Since 1992, we have prepared over 19 million meals for local nonprofits, shelters, respite centers, youth and adult daycare centers and schools.
pounds of food
Since 2019, we have recovered and redistributed over 1 million pounds of food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
in value
We have put almost $2 million worth of recovered food to good use since 2019.
households served
Our Mobile Community Market served over 7,000 households in 2023.
FEEDING OUR MISSION
Our food security work supports and amplifies our mission to transform lives, disrupt poverty and nourish communities. Meals are prepared in kitchens where students in our job training programs work alongside our professional chefs, gaining skills to prepare them for employment. Revenue from our meals program sustains this work, ensuring that we can continue to offer a path toward personal and financial stability for our students.
Learn more
Want to learn more?
Community & School Meals
Email: contractmeals@farestart.org
Call: 206.247.5391