Feed It Forward rescues food destined for landfill and diverts it to its food redistribution programs, which include: a Pay-What-You-Can (PWYC) Grocery Store, a PWYC Soup Bar at Humber College and food and meal donations to food banks and shelters.

Food waste is a significant issue both in Toronto and across the country. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians are buying more food and cooking at home more often. In Toronto, over 50 per cent of food wasted in single-family households is avoidable, including leftovers and untouched food that could have been eaten at one point. It’s estimated that avoidable food waste costs the average Canadian household over $1,100 per year.

Feed It Forward is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization that revalues food. Feed It Forward relies on local farmers, food producers, distributors and retailers for donations of unsold or blemished food; members of the public, community organizations and businesses for financial support; and over 900 volunteers from the community to deliver its programs. Feed It Forward rescues food destined for landfill and diverts it to its food redistribution programs, which include: a Pay-What-You-Can (PWYC) Grocery Store, a PWYC Soup Bar at Humber College and food and meal donations to food banks and shelters. Feed It Forward also offers a food literacy program to the community to help them plan healthy meals and show them how to avoid food waste at home.

The organization supports a circular economy by:

- stopping nutritious food from being wasted in the supply and distribution chain

- making the food accessible regardless of people’s financial ability.

So far the 1st Pay-What-You-Can Grocery Store, Bakery & Coffee Shop can count on:

- 12,000+ pounds of food rescued per week

- 50+ families of four fed per day

- 94% of food rescued is redistributed

Feed It Forward is working on an app that will connect food donors (individuals and businesses) directly with those in need. This will empower individuals to make a difference by helping to reduce food waste and food insecurity in Toronto.

Feed It Forward is also launching a prepared meals program called Feed the Future to tackle food insecurity among low-income families, students and seniors. Through a pay-it-forward model, each meal purchased at a cost of $5 provides a nutritious chef-prepared frozen meal delivered to someone else in need.

Photo by Nico Smit on Unsplash