Value proposition

We believe that every human has the right to fresh, healthy food.

At Food For Free we believe everyone should have access to healthy, delicious food. Our many programs work to fight hunger in our communities:

Food Rescue
We rescue fresh food that might otherwise be discarded and distribute it to over 100 programs in 25 communities across Eastern MA. We distribute over 2 million pounds of rescued food each year.

Heat-n-Eats
Food For Free takes prepared food from corporate, university, and hospital dining services and turns it into attractive, balanced, single-serving meals that they distribute to food-insecure populations. These meals are donated through schools, colleges, homeless shelters, etc.

Weekend Eats Carrot Cards
This program distributes reloadable debit cards to over 1,185 food-insecure families across Cambridge and Somerville, providing over 2,100 PK-12th grade students with critical funds to purchase food every weekend. Debit cards instead of physical food allow families to have autonomy over their dietary needs and freedom to choose culturally-appropriate options.

School Markets
We partner with both public charter schools and district public schools in Somerville & Cambridge to host monthly markets for the school families and members of the community to access free food, right where they are.

Healthy Eats
Since 2001, Food For Free has delivered food to low-income Cambridge residents who are unable to access food pantries due to disability or chronic illness. We offer twice-monthly deliveries of food, including fresh vegetables and fruit, to over 350 clients each month.

Just Eats
Developed during the pandemic to meet increased demand, this boxed food program distributes 1,600 grocery boxes and 50k lbs of bulk food every single week to food programs for safe, nutrition-focused distribution.

Transportation Partnership
In 2010, the Greater Boston Food Bank asked Food For Free to pick up food orders for several food programs that lacked their own transportation. We are now their largest transportation partner.

Food Access, Food Rescue, Anti-Hunger, Collaboration, and Food insecurity