At Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, our day-to-day approach is spelled out in our 3 mission pillars: we FEED our neighbors, TEACH self-sufficiency, and GROW healthy food. Founded on the belief that hunger is unacceptable, our work begins with providing nutritious food to those who need it most – and then we keep going, fueled by a spirit of innovation. We teach residents facing hunger how to grow food for themselves, equip educators to bring their classroom outdoors with garden-based lessons, offer courses on healthy cooking both in person and online, and even introduce children to the idea that fruits and veggies can be fun. Truly, you haven’t lived until you have seen 5- to 11-year-olds learning to make fruit and yogurt parfaits! 

We are proud of our logistical efficiency, our programmatic services, our tailored curriculum and the unlimited capacity of our staff for innovation. Yet while this explains how the Food Shuttle does food banking, it does not begin to capture how we approach hunger relief. For that, you need people for whom imparting dignity to those they serve comes as naturally as breathing. In other words, you must think “outside the (food) box.” 

When people first come to a food distribution they are steeped in shame, confusion, fear. Sometimes there’s anger at an unexpected job loss. Caring for someone in that situation is about so much more than a box of produce and canned goods. It is looking them in the eye and saying “It’s ok. There’s nothing wrong with you. We’re here for you. Would you like to hear what we have today?”  That intersection of emergency food and deeply rooted empathy and respect is where this work takes on a far deeper meaning.  

When we relieve the stress of wondering where the next meal will come from, people in crisis can reallocate grocery money to other crucial household needs. We restore dignity by asking about each community’s food preferences before deciding what is loaded on the truck for their delivery. That’s the immediate effect of our “Feed” programs. When it comes to “Teach” and “Grow,” the purpose of our work to give someone a set of skills and knowledge, then step back and let them take it from there. These are the kind of results that cannot be packed in any box:  

• RE-think how to shop for healthy food on a limited budget with new insight on reading FDA labels and the cost benefits of generic brand items. 

• RE-store mental and physical well-being by growing fresh produce right at home in raised garden beds.  

• RE-direct young children’s energy by engaging them right at home, making healthy and fun recipes designed just for them.  

As the people we serve put what they learn into daily practice, this sense of agency and confidence that remains with them long after they no longer need us. For our staff, some 2600 volunteers and over 200 partners across our service area, this mission boils down to one very clear focus: caring for people facing hunger. While this work can be challenging and full of uncertainty, there are not sufficient words to describe how inspiring it is. So, whether this is all new to you or you’ve known us for decades, you are most welcome to join us on the road to end hunger.