Reuse Organization Profiles

Food Finders

Overview

Food Finders is a nonprofit food rescue program that is dedicated to feeding those in need. Volunteers collect and distribute food, along with other essential items, to missions, shelters, treatment centers, senior centers, children's homes, etc. in both Los Angeles and Orange counties at no cost to the recipients. Food Finders provides approximately 50,000 meals a day through its services.

History

Food Finders has been in existence since 1991, and for its first 11 years, was located in the home of the executive director, Arlene Mercer. Its current location is off of a major street, which has greatly aided in its visibility.

Operations

A thrift shop has been operating out of Food Finders since November 2001, with all of its proceeds benefiting Food Finders. Additionally, any items remaining from estate sales where Mercer is named as the executor are given to Food Finders to sell. Levitz Furniture Corp. also assists by donating furniture once a month. The staging area at Food Finders is used to hold items that have been sold at the thrift shop, or for items that are not sellable.

Ninety-nine percent of food never comes through Food Finders' door. Volunteers pick up and deliver about 10,000 pounds of food to recipient agencies each day—most recipients are close in proximity and food is delivered with no delay. The majority of Food Finders' efforts are spent on facilitating connections between donors and recipients of food.

Food Finders operates with 200 established delivery routes that are managed by volunteers. Chris Fischer, the South Bay coordinator, is responsible for all 200 routes each week in the South Bay. Once a delivery route is established, it is very easy to maintain.

Food Finders has two refrigerated trucks driving to Los Angeles daily picking up tremendous amounts of produce along with other items.

Food Finders does provide referral services to direct people to resources that provide food, shelter, etc.

Food Finders advertises its services with flyers placed in newspapers and has a mailing list of 1,900 for its newsletter. Donors are protected by Food Finders' liability insurance and by the Good Samaritan Law.

Because Food Finders is able to operate with such low administration costs (volunteers use their own vehicles), every dollar that is donated becomes $26 worth of food for the community.

Food Finders is a food bank, but they do not warehouse the food. They collect the food from food donors and directly drive it to nonprofit agencies that need the food. Food Finders is a conduit taking the food from the donors to where it is needed.

Mercer is always willing to speak to groups, rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, churches, etc., in an effort to educate people about Food Finders' services. Food Finders' recent coverage in a front-page article of the Daily Breeze resulted in four new volunteers. The organization is always trying to recruit more volunteers and donors, as both are the key to its operation.

Materials Accepted

Edible food and other essential items.

Source of Materials

Food Finders is always recruiting new donors. Borders Books and Music in Palo Alto keeps the leftovers from its café for Food Finders' volunteers to collect. Food Finders also has a working relationship with L.A. Produce Mart. Businesses besides restaurants and grocers often have food available and are willing to donate to Food Finders. America Honda Building's cafeteria serves prepared food and the leftovers are donated to Food Finders. Exxon Mobile on 190th Street and Boeing are huge donors to Food Finders—both sought out the organization. Food Finders also works a great deal with the local farmers' markets and receives about 20 pounds of bread from each. The Long Beach Sunday Farmers' Market provides Food Finders with 200 pounds of food each week, the city of Torrance provides 10,000 pounds of food during the holidays, and the May 2002 Post Office Canned Food Drive recently brought 15,000 pounds of food.

Contact Information

Reuse Profiles | Reuse Home

Last updated: November 01, 2007