Just a few days shy of Food Forward’s 16th anniversary, the LA wildfires became an unbelievable reality that all Los Angeles residents were suddenly forced to face. In the days and weeks that followed, our city was burning while friends, family, staff, and our community were sustaining heartbreaking loss on levels none of us had experienced in our lifetimes.
With an eerie deja vu to the sudden descent into COVID-19 in early 2020, lives have been changed forever, and we are all now navigating life in our city with a whole new set of challenges—obviously, some shouldering much greater ones than others.
All that serves as the foundation for where Food Forward stands today in early 2025, continuing as a daily nutritional safety net for hundreds of thousands of people. From this place, it is comforting to reflect on the year that was 2024—a year where we celebrated our 15th anniversary and the organization rose to historic heights.
Where this report is a summary of last year’s work and accomplishments, a year we grew to the annual recovery milestone of just over 94 million pounds, it is soberingly prefaced by tragedy, and a call for community responsiveness that is unquestionably part of Food Forward’s DNA.
We hope this report will give you a pride-filled look back at those milestones we reached in 2024, including:
- Our largest month of produce recovery ever (10.5 million pounds in July–which translates into produce valued at just over $20 million!)
- Recognition of our work at a national level and a visit to the White House
- An innovative Artist In Residence Program
- Two features in the Los Angeles Times
From this side of 2024, what we see is a robust regional organization now firmly rooted in the Southern California community—its work essential to its partners and stakeholders, but most importantly to those its produce feeds. Simply put, Food Forward is supplying the equivalent nutritional needs of fruits and vegetables to upwards of 300,000 people daily.
In our first decade and a half, we set the bar for other organizations all across the country coming up in the food recovery movement—one which we proudly helped pioneer.
Knowing the challenges 2025 brought us in just its first 30 days, we now look forward, wondering what additional challenges it will have in store for us. Whatever the future brings, we remain ready, thinking forward, feeling, and seeing an unpredictable world, not through a lens of being half full, but one that is indeed overflowing.
Food waste is an environmental and economic issue. Addressing food waste is a practical solution that benefits both the environment and an important solution to the economy, demonstrating shared values of resource stewardship and responsibility.
The impacts of environmental change are increasingly visible, from the recent devastating LA wildfires to last year’s hurricanes in the Southeastern United States. These events serve as stark reminders of the urgency of action, making it clear that reducing the emissions caused by food waste is not just important, but essential to environmental solutions.
In 2024 alone, Food Forward’s produce recovery prevented the emissions of over 83,000 tons of CO2 equivalent from entering the atmosphere.
That’s equivalent to removing nearly 20,000 gasoline-powered cars off the road for a year.
We carefully consider the sustainability of our operations to ensure that we’re treading as lightly as possible. This includes focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, prioritizing responsible resource use, operational transparency, and long-term community benefits. We added our first electric semi-truck to our fleet in 2024, and for the second year in a row, we’re a certified California Green Business. This certification is a testament to our unwavering commitment to sustainability, meeting rigorous environmental standards while maintaining operational excellence.
How one tangerine from a single tree became 480 million pounds of fresh produce for hunger relief.
In January 2009, a group of volunteers harvested 800 pounds of oranges and tangerines from a single backyard to donate to a local food pantry, donating its one millionth serving of produce for hunger relief in 2010.
2024 marked Food Forward’s most prolific year yet, with 94 million pounds distributed to communities experiencing food and nutrition insecurity.
Food Forward launched the Farmers Market Recovery Program—a market-endorsed program—where volunteers began gleaning at only two farmers markets.
By 2024, the program had grown to include 17 markets across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
The largest volunteer event to date was when 400 volunteers harvested 20,000 pounds of oranges at the historic California State University Northridge Orange Grove.
In 2024, Food Forward reconvened under the same trees with hundreds more community members celebrating volunteerism and community at our first annual Zest Fest.
In 2014, Food Forward launched the Wholesale Recovery Program with the purchase of its first 24-foot truck funded by a crowdsourcing campaign.
Ten years later (2024), we purchased our very first 56-foot refrigerated semi-truck—this time, electric!
Food Forward joined the 1% for the Planet community.
In 2024, Food Forward extended collaboration with our partners who support our impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through food recovery.
Our 10th anniversary ushered in the era. Food Forward opened the Produce Pit Stop, a warehouse to receive produce donations from the Wholesale Produce Market in Los Angeles, its surrounding district, and from growers and shippers across the region and the country.
In 2020, just over six months after the Produce Pit Stop launched, we introduced The Sprout to directly serve smaller agencies—expanding our distribution service to uniquely meet the urgent need during COVID-19.
In 2024, Food Forward entered the national stage at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, and pledged to recover 100 million pounds of fruits and vegetables in a year by 2026 to build a legacy of healthier generations.
400+ Years of Produce Industry Expertise
Our team, with over 400 years of combined produce industry experience, is equipped for the special logistics of handling produce, with experience unique from other food aid organizations. This expertise enables us to work effectively with growers, packer-shippers, wholesalers, and farmers of all sizes, ensuring that we recover fresh, nutritious, and high-quality produce that feeds families.
Scaling Up to Fight Hunger and Food Waste
Food Forward’s Wholesale Recovery Program operates from a 10,000-square-foot warehouse, equipped with a fleet of six trucks, including our first electric semi-truck. This increased capacity is making our logistics more efficient. By the end of 2024, Food Forward reached a 15-year total of 480 million pounds of produce that we have distributed to communities across the region.
Real Impact, Real Numbers
In 2024, Food Forward recovered over 94 million pounds of produce. That’s more than 532,275,000 servings of food while preventing over 83,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from entering the atmosphere per year.
July 2024 was the most prolific month in Food Forward's history—in that month alone, we recovered over 10.5 million pounds of fruits and vegetables! This is $20 million worth of produce delivered to people in our community facing food and nutrition insecurity. The emissions prevented from this month alone are the equivalent of taking over 2,000 cars off the road for one year.
Emergency Relief
Ventura County Emergency Response
During the Mountain Fire in Ventura County in 2024, Food Forward swiftly mobilized to support an emergency food distribution in partnership with Ruben Castro Charities. By providing fresh, nutritious produce to families impacted by the disaster, we not only helped address immediate hunger but also reinforced the community’s resilience and dignity during a time of crisis. This effort ensured that those affected by the fire had access to healthy food—providing immediate support to families affected by crises.
Volunteer-powered 15 years strong
Community has always been at the heart of Food Forward. In 2009, it all started when just a couple volunteers gathered together, harvesting oranges and tangerines from a neighbor’s backyard in their San Fernando Valley neighborhood. Their labor of love ensured that the harvested fruit went to a nearby food pantry and was the start to our 15-year legacy.
Our Backyard Harvest and Farmers Market Recovery programs, Food Forward’s volunteer-powered community programs, are going strong.
Thank you to all of our volunteers for helping us move Food Forward!
Where does L.A.’s leftover produce go? This group helps get tons to the hungry every day
LA TimesHow "Food Forward" makes sure no fruits or veggies go to waste
KCAL/CBSFood Forward brings fresh surplus produce to people experiencing food insecurity
ABC 7Moving Food Forward: Nonprofit Provides a “Glean” Bill of Health for People Who are Food Insecure
Edible SFVThe Californians Rescuing Surplus Produce to Fight Hunger: By swiftly redistributing perishable fruits and vegetables, Food Forward addresses two issues at once: food insecurity and food waste
Reasons to be cheerfulThe true value of the pounds of produce recovered by Food Forward is fully realized when it reaches the plates of people experiencing food and nutrition insecurity. Through close and intentional relationships with a network of over 250 hunger relief organizations, Food Forward provides enough produce to supply over 300,000 people with their daily USDA-recommended servings of fruits and vegetables every single day. That includes:
- Children and families receiving fruits and vegetables from after-school programs and local food pantries.
- Seniors who rely on local senior centers to access nutritious food.
- Veterans and unhoused individuals accessing regional food banks and wellness hubs where our produce may be their only link to consistent and easily accessible nutrition.
- Displaced communities receiving fresh produce as they rebuild.
From large nonprofits to grassroots mutual aid groups, Food Forward is dedicated to making sure that partners of any size can have better access to fresh fruits and vegetables and feed more people in need.
Through partnerships like the Pure Land Foundation, the largest emergency food distributor in San Bernardino County, we’ve seen how working together can directly impact those in need. By providing the Pure Land Foundation with 16 to 18 pallets of fresh produce each month, we’ve supported their growth from serving 300 families six years ago to now feeding 1,500 families. This collaboration has allowed us to reach more people, ensuring that more families in San Bernardino County get their daily doses of fresh fruits and veggies..
For more on our community impact visit foodforward.org/press.
Where does L.A.’s leftover produce go? This group helps get tons to the hungry every day
LA TimesHow "Food Forward" makes sure no fruits or veggies go to waste
KCAL/CBSFood Forward brings fresh surplus produce to people experiencing food insecurity
ABC 7Moving Food Forward: Nonprofit Provides a “Glean” Bill of Health for People Who are Food Insecure
Edible SFVThe Californians Rescuing Surplus Produce to Fight Hunger: By swiftly redistributing perishable fruits and vegetables, Food Forward addresses two issues at once: food insecurity and food waste.
Reasons to be cheerful
Throughout its history, Food Forward has seen art as a powerful way to engage people in seeking solutions to fighting hunger and food waste.
Iconic Poster Art: In celebration of Food Forward’s 5th anniversary, Josh Clark created the iconic “LA Gets Juiced” poster inspired by an innovative blend of vintage rock and movie posters.
Artists Shing Yin Khor and Eron Rauch, along with their talented friends, have hosted art creation events to benefit food justice in Los Angeles. These vibrant, fun-filled events have produced unique artworks, with proceeds from the sale of pizza-inspired art benefiting Food Forward and local hunger relief organizations.
In 2022, muralist Brian Peterson transformed a warehouse wall at the Produce Pit Stop into a joyful, 1,200-square-foot mural, celebrating the hands and hearts that move Food Forward’s mission forward.
Food Forward was honored with the 2024 Communicator Award for Overall Design, Distinction by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA), for our work on the Annual Impact 2022: Share the AbundanceTM! This prestigious recognition underscores our commitment to impactful storytelling and innovative community engagement.
As part of our ongoing effort to build connections and strengthen relationships with artists throughout the region, we partnered with the renowned Los Angeles County Art Museum (LACMA). Food Forward led the panel: Food for Thought: Combating Food Insecurity in Los Angeles to integrate artistry in the fight for food access.
Food Forward launched its inaugural Artist in Residence program, inviting multidisciplinary artist and Michelin Star Chef Minh H. Phan to explore themes of abundance, scarcity, immigration, and connection. Minh’s work culminated in a multifaceted event, where guests experienced a powerful journey exploring transformation and resilience.
Food Forward, Inc. is dedicated to collaborating with organizations that share our commitment to sustainability, food access, health, and building stronger communities. We focus on fostering deep, and meaningful partnerships with local, regional, and national groups, working together to create lasting impact. By connecting our partners to Food Forward’s engaged base of hunger relief supporters, environmental advocates, and food lovers, we amplify collective efforts and strengthen the communities we serve. Some highlights in 2024 included:
Food Forward partners with organizations that understand the positive health impact of increasing access to healthier food. With support from Novo Nordisk, Inc., Food Forward is undertaking an initiative to better quantify the impact of communities’ increased access to healthier foods and increase the amount of fresh produce available for our hunger relief partners.
Food Forward works with companies who share our values in sustainability, such as Smog City Brewing Co. Longtime partner Smog City Brewing Co. supports Food Forward through the annual release of their award-winning Kumquat Saison. Part of Smog City’s 1% for the Planet Community Impact series of beers, each batch is made with hand-harvested kumquats that would otherwise go to waste, gathered from backyards across LA County by Food Forward's dedicated volunteers.
Food Forward continues to build stronger communities, including through our long history with Big Sunday. In 2024, Food Forward continued our longstanding partnership with Big Sunday for their annual Thanksgiving Community Food Drive. By providing healthy produce, Food Forward is able to supply hundreds of families with food for the holiday.
Learn more about our current Food Forward partners.
Throughout its history, Food Forward has managed its explosive impact with efficiency. In 2024, it cost us just $.09 cents to recover and distribute each pound of fresh produce. Every dollar donated to Food Forward in 2024 ensured 63 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables were distributed to people experiencing food insecurity.
Food Forward is proud to be recognized with a “Platinum Seal of Transparency” by Guide Star and a “4-star” rating by Charity Navigator. To make a financial contribution and support Food Forward, please visit foodforward.org/give.
For more information, contact Chief Development Officer Jen Cox at [email protected].
View or Annual audited financial statements.
We are deeply grateful to the thousands of people who helped us rescue and distribute more than 94 million pounds of fruits and vegetables in 2024. This incredible impact was made possible through our dynamic ecosystem of partners—including volunteers, hunger relief organizations, produce donors, and generous financial supporters.
The following donors gave $500 or more between January 1 - December 31, 2024, playing a vital role in helping us move Food Forward:
*Acknowledges a monthly donor.
Please contact our Development team at (818) 764-1022 #110 or [email protected] if there are any inaccuracies or omissions. We regret any errors.
In addition to the hundreds who generously donate fruits and vegetables to Food Forward each year, we’re grateful to the individuals and businesses who supported our mission with in-kind contributions in 2024:
Ambrosia Produce Bag • Anonymous (3) • Arroz & Fun • Bolthouse Farms DBA Campbell Fresh • Bulletin Displays • Center for Nonprofit Management • Mirit Cohen • Chef Michelle and Company • Cipota Coffee • Clementine Foods LLC • ConnectedFresh Smart Monitoring • Delicious Bakery • Dropbox • Dr. Robert Feinfield • Friends & Family • Google • The Gourmandise School • Craig and Ellen Haserot • I.8sushi • Ice Hat Creative • Kurt and Jodi Jacobsen • KEVANI • Brian and Heather Lazarus • Mountain Valley Spring Water • Rick Nahmias and Steve Kadel • OUTFRONT Media • OXO • Aubrey and Olek Pacheco-Dul • Emma Peters • Picture Shop • Porridge + Puffs • Liza Marie Ramos • Seedy • Smog City Brewing Co. • Sojourn Cellars • Steep LA • Tacos el Charro • Wild City Spirits • Wok Star Inc. • Los Zambranos
2024 Staff
Simon Bergara
Jessie Bruce
Jose Bustamante
Samantha Cahall
Alejandro Calderon-Gamboa
David Contreras
Jennifer Cox
Ellen DeVine
Melina Finck
Jose Flores
Allyson E Forest
Daniel Gallegos
Allison Garlick
Merced Giles Bonfil
Xena-Shira Grossman
Diane Helfrey
Alden Herrera
Richard Hicks
Andrea Howry
Nancy Hsu
Jodi Jacobsen
Kristen Johnson
Madeline Kay
Phoebe Leon
Manuel Lerma
Ryan Levy
Michael Lima-Sabatini
Felipe Maldonado
Ayden Mallory
Rolando Marchis
Herbert Meza
Eleuterio Moctezuma
Omar Moreira
Rachel Murphy
Richard Nahmias
Amberlee Norris
Nkemdilim Nwosu
Jose Luis Osorio Mayorga
Janelle Osteen
Aubrey Pacheco-Dul
Leonel Paz
Victor Pedroza
Vivian Poonsopin
Angelica Ramirez
J. Guadalupe Rodriquez Lozano
Franchesca Ruiz
Jorge Santa Cruz
Charles Saseun
Elizabeth Sommer
Elizabeth Storm
Janet Sudo
Victor Tello
Samantha Teslik
Kelsey Thackery
Mauricio Torres
Sierra Trujillo
Martha Urias
Christopher Wehling
Amir Zambrano
2024 Board
Jim Berliner
Christy Remey Chin
Jason Crayne, Treasurer
Jedd Gold
Neil Haltrecht
Jeff Harris, Chair
(March 2024–present)
David Lake
Brian Lazarus
Cindy Lee
Shari Leinwand
Rick Nahmias, Founder/CEO
Mark Rhein, Secretary
(through March 2024)
Pam Schwartz
Rob Valencia, Chair
(through March 2024)
Donella Wilson, Board Secretary
(March 2024–December 2024)
Betty Zamorano-Pedregon
*Staff and Board of Directors list as of December 2024. View current team list.
Annual Impact Report Design by Marie Ramos