ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. – Cultivate Food Rescue has recovered 1 million pounds of food and is ramping up efforts to meet a growing need for food assistance in the wake of COVID-19.

Cultivate Food Rescue is a local nonprofit that is dedicated to reducing food insecurity in communities in St. Joseph, Marshall and Elkhart counties.

There has been a sharp rise in demand since the pandemic and Cultivate has responded by preparing up to 5,400 meals a week to meet that need.

Cultivate had partnered with enFocus, a nonprofit dedicated to attracting talent to our region, to build systems to improve their operations.

Cultivate Board President and Co-founder Jim Conklin explains what partnering with enFocus has done for Cultivate Food Rescue.

“In just a few months, enFocus has provided enormous value, setting up systems to track donations and manage food inventory and training our staff,” said Conklin. “Having their technical expertise on hand so our team can focus on meal preparation and distribution is essential.”

Cultivate rescues excess, never-served food from local partners and the Cultivate chefs create healthy frozen meals that are distributed in backpacks through area schools.   

The Backpack Program is to fill the weekend gap for children who receive free or reduced meals at school.

Cultivate and enFocus will not only work to improve efficiency but also to build systems and pilot programs to address the broader needs of food assistance providers in the region.

Those interested in supporting Cultivate’s efforts to feed those in need in our community can learn about food donation, volunteer, and sponsorship opportunities at www.cultivateculinary.com