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Twin Cities
Estelle Timar-Wilcox

New Twin Cities program aims to get more food donations to people in need

People shop for prodeuce
People shop as volunteers restock shelves at an Oakdale food shelf.
Nicole Neri for MPR News | 2023

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A new program coming to the Twin Cities is looking to keep food out of landfills and get it to people who need it.

The organization Food Connect will start operating in the cities in the new year, expanding on its existing work in several cities across the country. It partners with food shelves, school districts and emergency meal sites to transport donated food.

The organization is coming to the area through a partnership with GreenLight Twin Cities. Executive director Simone Hardeman-Jones said that while there are lots of effective food distribution organizations, the problem is getting the food to those sites before it goes to waste.

“We started to hear a lot about the lack of consistent transportation to get food to people most in need,” Hardeman-Jones said. “It’s not a shortage of food that we’re dealing with in our community. It’s the access.”

Food Connect uses an app to organize deliveries. Restaurants, shops, caterers and individuals can use it to schedule pickups of unwanted leftover food. Food Connect drivers bring it to partners like food shelves, distributing it based on needs and food storage capacity.

Hardeman-Jones said the new initiative can help meet growing demand. Local nonprofit Hunger Solutions reported 7.5 million visits to Minnesota food shelves in 2023, up 2 million from the year before.

Food Connect CEO Megha Kulshreshtha said in a statement announcing the partnership that she’s excited to start working in the Twin Cities.

“We can deliver innovative solutions that ensure every meal finds its way to a neighbor in need, fostering a community where no one is left behind,” Kulshreshtha said.

Food Connect is now setting up partnerships with Youthprise, Feeding Frogtown and Keystone Community Services and planning collaborations with Ramsey, Washington and Hennepin counties. Hardeman-Jones said it will start its work early in the new year.