Check out if FareShare is in The Top 100 NGOs 2013 Edition!

Giving surplus food a purpose.

Over 35,000 people fed daily.

Fuelled by the belief that ‘no good food should be wasted’, FareShare was established in the United Kingdom in 1994 and its model has since been replicated internationally. Originally operating as an initiative run by Crisis – a charity battling homelessness – the project was spun-off as an independent organization in 2004. Simultaneously tackling waste and hunger, FareShare repurposes surplus goods from the food and beverage industry and provides them to non-profit organizations working with disadvantaged local communities. 

FareShare has a national network of over 700 charities receiving food, enabling these grassroots organizations to redistribute funds toward other programme costs. Moving beyond providing only nutritional wellbeing, their ‘Eat Well, Live Well’ programme also acts as a means for clients to gain employability training and certifications. The organization is using its position within the food industry to provide training modules for National Vocation Qualifications in warehousing, distribution, and storage. Complementing these efforts as part of its mission to relieve food poverty, a further initiative – the ‘Eat Well Road Show’ – provides training for FareShare community members regarding basic food hygiene, nutritional advice and practical cooking skills.

In 2011, the organization’s food redistribution contributed more than 8.6 million meals to individuals in need. Moving forward, FareShare hopes to triple its impact – redistributing 20,000 tonnes of food per year.

(Photo © Antonio Olmos Observer)