Food For Free
Food For Free is a 1981-founded Massachusetts 501(c)(3) that rescues surplus food and runs direct-service programs serving 132,000 individuals annually across Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersSomerville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Food For Free does
Food For Free Committee, Inc. is a Massachusetts-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 22-2561771) founded in 1981 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, operating from a 12,000 square-foot Packing and Distribution Center at 59 Inner Belt Road, Somerville. It is one of the nation's first food rescue organizations and runs an interconnected set of programs under the Food For Free brand: Food Recovery (collecting surplus from restaurants, grocery stores, farms, hospitals, and universities), Just Eats (grocery boxes through partner food pantries), Heat-n-Eats (balanced meals from rescued prepared food), Carrot Cards and School Markets (stigma-free school-based food access for K-8 students), Healthy Eats Home Delivery (groceries to homebound seniors and disabled individuals), Transportation Partnership (logistics for smaller pantries), and Field of Greens (volunteer-grown produce at Lindentree Farm). The organization reports rescuing approximately 1.3 million pounds of food annually and serving 132,000 individuals across Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts.
The organization's revenue model is grant- and donation-driven. Sources include individual donations, foundation and corporate grants (Cummings Foundation, Cabot Family Charitable Trust, Life Science Cares, Greater Boston Food Bank, Akamai Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, Sanofi Genzyme, Takeda, Alexandria Real Estate Equities), corporate partnerships providing in-kind food, volunteers, and cash (notably a decade-long Biogen relationship and a Mass General Brigham Heat-n-Eats partnership), annual events such as Party Under the Harvest Moon generating $160K-$170K, and merchandise sales. All food and program services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries; there is no pricing model.
Underlying technology is logistics- and operations-oriented rather than software-defined: a fleet of vehicles including refrigerated trucks, a 12,000 sq ft distribution facility, and a partnership with Freight Farms for vertical-farming hardware. There is no proprietary technology platform, mobile app, API, or AI/ML capability disclosed. Leadership transitioned in 2023 with CEO Jessica Cantin and CFO Wayne Procope, and the organization adopted a 2025-2028 Strategic Plan.
Food For Free firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Food For Free
- Legal name
- Food For Free Committee, Inc.
- Website
- https://foodforfree.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Food For Free is a 1981-founded Massachusetts 501(c)(3) that rescues surplus food and runs direct-service programs serving 132,000 individuals annually across Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Food For Free industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hunger Relief and Food Rescue Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Food Services Administration (Meal Eligibility, POS, Nutrition Compliance) (EDAJAHAJ), Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs) (EUAIAEAH), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD)
Keywords
Where Food For Free is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Somerville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Food For Free business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute financially to support the organization's hunger relief and food rescue programs.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Food For Free receives grants from foundations and corporations including Akamai Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, Cummings Foundation, Life Science Cares, Sanofi Genzyme, and others to fund operations and expansion.
- Corporate Partnerships: Companies provide financial support, in-kind donations (including food surplus), and volunteer resources through formal partnership agreements.
- Event Fundraising: The organization hosts events such as Party Under the Harvest Moon to raise funds, which have generated $160K-$170K annually.
- Merchandise Sales: Food For Free sells merchandise including branded items through their website.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Food For Free product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Food For Free is a nonprofit organization that rescues surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, farms, hospitals, and universities, then redistributes it to food-insecure individuals and families across Greater Boston. Programs span prepared meals, grocery boxes, school-based food markets, home delivery, and farm gleaning. All food is provided free of charge to recipients.
Product overview
Food For Free is a nonprofit food rescue and redistribution organization serving Greater Boston, operating as a unified set of interconnected programs rather than a software platform. The core Food Recovery program recovers surplus food from donors and redistributes it through multiple delivery channels: Just Eats delivers grocery boxes to food pantries; Heat-n-Eats transforms rescued prepared foods into balanced meals; School Markets and Carrot Cards serve students directly at educational institutions; Healthy Eats Home Delivery serves homebound individuals; Transportation Partnership ensures smaller pantries receive fresh produce; and Field of Greens grows produce through volunteer farming. Together, these programs recovered approximately 1.3 million pounds of food annually, serving 132,000 individuals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Food Recovery: Food rescue and redistribution program recovering fresh and prepared foods from local businesses
- Just Eats
- Carrot Cards
- School Markets
- Heat-n-Eats
- Transportation Partnership
- Field of Greens
- Healthy Eats
Products and services
- Just Eats
- Carrot Cards
- School Markets
- Heat-n-Eats Program focused on distributing prepared heat-and-eat meals to community members.
- Healthy Eats Home Delivery Home delivery program bringing food directly to homebound or otherwise unable-to-travel clients.
- Field of Greens Farm gleaning program that harvests surplus produce from farms for redistribution to the community.
- Transportation Partnership Partnership-based transportation program that expands Food For Free's pickup and delivery reach across the region.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves 132,000 individuals annually
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Food For Free
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Food For Free technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Food For Free partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- BiogenflagshipOver a decade-long partnership supporting Heat-n-Eats program. Biogen provides food donations from their Cambridge HQ, employee volunteers, and financial support. Awarded BBJ Citizenship Community Collaborator Award in 2024.
- Freight FarmscorePartnership to bring fresh local produce to the Greater Boston community. Freight Farms provides vertical farming technology to support year-round local food production.
- Mass General BrighamcorePartnership to supply underserved communities with Heat-n-Eats meals. Mass General Brigham provides support to expand access to nutritious food across the Greater Boston area through Food For Free's meal program.
- Whole Foods MarketcoreDonated a refrigerated van to support Food For Free's food rescue and distribution operations.
- Lamplighter Brewing Co.minorLaunched 'About Thyme' limited-edition ale with proceeds supporting Food For Free's year-round food rescue and redistribution efforts.
- Harvard University Dining ServicescoreMajor food donor partner that was honored by Food For Free for their contributions to food rescue. Donates surplus food that is redistributed to community members.
- Harvard Square Meals ProgramcoreReceives rescued food from Food For Free every Thursday to prepare healthy three-course dinners for community members.
- Pine Street InncoreFood For Free helps feed Pine Street Inn residents and supports their iCater program that trains future cooks. Partnership featured in Boston Globe.
- La ColaborativacoreChelsea-based community organization partnering with Food For Free for biweekly food distribution to residents in need.
- Lindentree FarmcoreHosts Food For Free's Field of Greens program, donating growing space, time, equipment, materials, and farming knowledge. Volunteers grew 9,054 lbs of produce in 2022.
- Field of Greens (Lindentree Farm)coreVolunteer farm program growing fresh, nutrient-dense vegetables for distribution to pantries, meal programs, and shelters across Eastern Massachusetts.
- Boston UniversitycoreDonates unused dining hall food to Food For Free for redistribution to families in need during holidays and year-round.
- Emerson CollegeminorDonates leftover food from dining operations to Food For Free, including over 300 pounds last fall.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Food For Free competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Project Bread: Massachusetts-based anti-hunger organization focused on food access programs and advocacy. Comparable geography and target population, though more focused on advocacy and direct food assistance rather than food rescue logistics.
- Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: Regional food bank serving Western Massachusetts with food distribution and hunger-relief programs. Comparable model and population served, but operates in a different geography from Food For Free.
Direct peers
- Daily Table: Not-for-profit retail food store in the Boston area selling recovered surplus food at low cost. Comparable mission of redirecting surplus food and addressing food insecurity in the Greater Boston region.
- City Harvest: New York City's largest food rescue organization collecting surplus food and distributing to those in need. Highly comparable operating model of food rescue plus direct service programs in a major metro.
- Food Rescue US: National nonprofit using volunteer-driven direct transport to rescue surplus food from businesses and deliver to agencies serving food-insecure individuals. Closely comparable food-rescue methodology to Food For Free's Transportation Partnership and Food Recovery programs.
- Lovin' Spoonfuls: Boston-area food rescue nonprofit focused on surplus food redistribution from restaurants, grocers, and farms. Directly comparable mission, geography, and operational model to Food For Free's Food Recovery program.
- Greater Boston Food Bank: The largest hunger-relief organization in New England and a Food For Free partner. Operates as a regional food bank distributing food through a network of pantries, with overlapping programs in food rescue and community food access across the same geography.
Broad incumbents
- Feeding America: National umbrella network of 200+ food banks including Greater Boston Food Bank. Operates a much broader, national hunger-relief mission with food rescue as one of many programs; Food For Free's model is similar in spirit but local in execution.
Emerging players
- Meals on Wheels: National network delivering meals to homebound seniors. Overlaps with Food For Free's Healthy Eats Home Delivery program serving homebound seniors and people with disabilities in Cambridge.
- Wholesome Wave: Nonprofit addressing food access through nutrition incentive programs for produce purchases. Comparable social mission of expanding healthy food access for low-income communities, though operates through different mechanisms.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Food For Free social profiles
Digital presenceFood For Free financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Food For Free leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Food For Free funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Food For Free M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Food For Free
What does Food For Free do?
Food For Free is a nonprofit organization that rescues surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, farms, hospitals, and universities, then redistributes it to food-insecure individuals and families across Greater Boston. Programs span prepared meals, grocery boxes, school-based food markets, home delivery, and farm gleaning. All food is provided free of charge to recipients.
Is Food For Free a public or private company?
Food For Free is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Food For Free founded?
Food For Free was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Food For Free based?
Food For Free is headquartered in Somerville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Food For Free make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Grants, corporate Partnerships, event Fundraising and merchandise Sales.
Who are Food For Free's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Project Bread and Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Direct peers are Daily Table, City Harvest, Food Rescue US, Lovin' Spoonfuls and Greater Boston Food Bank. Feeding America is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Meals on Wheels and Wholesome Wave.
Does Food For Free have an API?
No public API is recorded for Food For Free.
What industry is Food For Free in?
Food For Free's product category is Hunger Relief and Food Rescue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAA, Food Assistance & Food Banks, with a secondary code of EDAJAHAJ, Food Services Administration (Meal Eligibility, POS, Nutrition Compliance). Its NAICS code is 62421.