Thompson Partners with Feeding Charlotte to Provide Food Rescue and Community Support

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Nov 16, 2021, 08:00 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thompson Child & Family Focus (Thompson), in collaboration with local non-profit food rescue organization Feeding Charlotte, is expanding reach and bringing greater awareness to the issue of food insecurity, and those who struggle with taking care of basic human needs. With Thompson's program, "A Child's Place," (ACP) as a new partner, the issue of local food insecurity will be directly addressed.

Feeding Charlotte, a food rescue organization founded in 2020, focuses on gathering surplus meals from food service partners, which include catering companies, restaurants, and campuses like Johnson & Wales University, then redistributing them to organizations that serve those in need.

As a dual-mission organization, they not only clean up the environment, but also feed those who might be at risk of food insecurity.

While there are several non-profit organizations focused on food distribution for the hungry, few truly rescue freshly prepared meals.

"The problem is not a lack of food in the United States," stated Feeding Charlotte Co-founder, Kim Aprill, "It's a distribution problem". According to Feeding Charlotte, 12% of households in Mecklenburg County are food insecure.

Additionally, Feeding Charlotte uses an innovative software that helps the organizations save hours, and match up with donors quicker, thus more donations may be picked up, faster.

This software helps hundreds of thousands of pounds of food to be saved and redistributed on an annual basis. 113,000 pounds of rescued food serves approximately 94,000 meals, according to Feeding Charlotte. This effort redistributes roughly 7,800 meals per week to at-risk families in the Mecklenburg County area.

"Feeding Charlotte is the missing link for every foodservice operation," stated Paul Reinfeld, Director of Dining Services at Johnson & Wales. "The team at Johnson & Wales Student Dining operations in Charlotte has been on a quest to find a solution to help disrupt the waste of perfectly good food in our community by safely and efficiently handling the distribution of the food. We are very fortunate to have Feeding Charlotte as a partner. And the Charlotte community is very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people dedicated to this much needed, but complex and time-consuming initiative."

The partnership between Thompson and Feeding Charlotte speaks to the synergy between the two organizations.

"We've been able to really help kids and families believe that there's something there for them," said Justin Ellis, Chief Development Officer at Thompson. "They are worth so much more than what their narrative told them they were worth. And if they do believe that they're better, if they do believe that there's a narrative and a life for them that's more than what they've had, I can't imagine what the next 10-20 years of Charlotte will look like."

Thompson, ACP, and Feeding Charlotte are aware of the intense need for food, especially at this time of year when temperatures drop, as Charlotte heads into Fall and Winter.

November hosts both National Homelessness Awareness Month, and National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week, this partnership is especially timely. While the upcoming holiday season might typically conjure the typical images of food and family for many, that is not always the case for those who suffer from food insecurity. With needs for at-risk families only intensifying during the holidays, partnerships like this only grow in importance.

There are two ways to support these organizations. Donate to Feeding Charlotte, whose food rescue services help Thompson and ACP clients access better quality and more readily available food. Or donate to Thompson to help to increase stability and self-sufficiency within ACP families. Either way - your support will strengthen children and families in Mecklenburg County.

About Thompson

Headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina (Mecklenburg County), Thompson Child & Family Focus is a human services leader transforming lives through early childhood, family stability, and mental health services. As a solutions-driven organization committed to rewriting narratives for the most vulnerable; Thompson achieves this by providing comprehensive, evidence-based services, and trauma-informed care, for children (ages 0-18) and their families, virtually and in-person. Thompson employs over 300 staff in NC and FL, and is led by President/CEO, Will Jones. To read more about Thompson's continuum of services online, go to www.thompsoncff.org.

About Feeding Charlotte

Feeding Charlotte, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, strives to reduce hunger among families while reducing our total carbon footprint. Branching out from Food Connection, Feeding Charlotte is dedicated to not only delivering fresh food but also educating the population about food insecurity. For more information or to get involved visit feedingcharlotte.org.

SOURCE Thompson Child & Family Focus