As a result of the continued federal government shutdown, tens of millions of Americans are at risk of losing their federal food and nutrition benefits, including the 42 million Americans who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), starting on November 1, 2025. Yet ReFED’s analysis shows that only about 12% of the 14.5 million tons that could be donated actually gets donated, leaving millions of pounds of edible food that could help fill the gap. While a potential resolution has not yet been agreed upon, food recovery and charitable food aid organizations across the country are stepping up to fill the gap created by this situation, as well as the cuts to food aid that have occurred throughout the year.

As a convener across the food system, ReFED is spotlighting organizations mobilizing in real time to get fresh, nutritious surplus food to households that will be most affected. By sharing what’s happening on the ground—and where support is needed—we aim to help partners direct resources quickly and effectively, so more food reaches more people during this critical moment.

The following list includes organizations in ReFED’s network who are responding to the situation. It is not exhaustive, and we will continue to update it as we learn about others. If you are in a position to support, whether through food donations, volunteer time, or charitable donations, this list is intended to provide you with a place to start. You can also look up food recovery organizations that are listed in ReFED’s Solution Provider Directory to understand who might be taking action in your area.

For those who are not included on this list and are taking action to support those facing food insecurity, please let us know by reaching out to Angel Veza, Director of Innovation Initiatives, at [email protected].

Boston Area Gleaners supports both ends of the agricultural supply chain by strengthening farmer viability and increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables for communities experiencing food insecurity. In anticipation of rising demand from pantry partners, the organization is expanding its sourcing efforts to boost supply. This includes gleaning from farms, recovering produce from wholesale distributors, and purchasing from local farms when funding allows. While the team is currently operating at full capacity, particularly in staffing and cold storage, Boston Area Gleaners is leveraging every available resource and pursuing creative solutions to meet community needs during this period of heightened demand.

Brighter Bites served over 102,000 students and families across 13 cities, distributing 8.7 million pounds of fresh produce in 2024—enough for 7.2 million nutritious meals. But with recent SNAP cuts and the ongoing government shutdown, millions of families risk losing access to essential food support. During this time, Brighter Bites is continuing to provide fresh produce and nutrition education so kids can stay focused on learning, not hunger. To support their work, donate here.

Food Connect is rapidly mobilizing across five city markets—San Francisco Bay Area, Philadelphia, Twin Cities, Kansas City, and Newark—to address rising food insecurity caused by the SNAP cuts. In coordination with local coalition partners, including food banks, school districts, and community-based organizations, the organization is expanding home delivery and bulk food distribution, rescuing surplus and prepared meals, and coordinating logistics to meet surging demand. Learn more here.

Food Connection is actively collaborating with local and regional elected officials, other food security organizations, and the communities it serves to respond to urgent needs. The organization is continuing to run its Mobile Meals Program, which repackages rescued chef-prepared food into individual, nutritionally balanced, heat-and-serve meals distributed via a free food truck—serving anyone who comes, with no questions asked. To expand its reach, Food Connection recently launched the Chefs Care Program, inviting gifted chefs to contribute prepared meals. This addition enables the organization to scale quickly, connecting more nutritious meals to communities in need. Alongside prepared meals, Food Connection is also accepting donations of non-perishable items to supplement its community distributions.

Food Forward, in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Los Angeles and with support from LA Care, is rapidly scaling operations to meet the anticipated surge in need. The organization is increasing its produce distribution across the YMCA network from 13 to 29 locations throughout Los Angeles County. Together, these partners are mobilizing resources and teams to ensure fresh food reaches communities most affected by the situation. This expanded effort builds on Food Forward’s ongoing distribution of more than five and a half million servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each week.

Food Recovery Network is actively responding to the SNAP cuts by mobilizing its network of college student leaders to meet rising food insecurity. Across college campuses and local communities, students are rescuing surplus food, coordinating logistics, and expanding distribution to ensure fresh, nutritious meals reach those most affected. By partnering with local organizations, Food Recovery Network is building scalable, community-driven solutions that help bridge the gap created by the loss of federal food assistance and keep food flowing to those in need, all while educating fellow students and community members about the importance of food equity.

Goodr has launched the Goodr Community Fund, a donation-driven initiative providing free grocery grab bags and home-delivered meals to families and seniors across Metro Atlanta. With every $10 gift feeding a family of four and an additional $5 covering delivery for homebound seniors, the fund is rapidly mobilizing resources to meet skyrocketing need in real time. Donations are tax-deductible through a fiscal agent, and Goodr is coordinating daily food distributions as support pours in, demonstrating how community-powered solutions and private-sector logistics can help bridge critical gaps during the SNAP shutdown. Link to Donate. Link to Request assistance.

Impact LA has launched bi-weekly emergency grocery distribution drives in partnership with the LA Regional Food Bank and ANE Foundation, serving hundreds of families across Los Angeles. They’ve also expanded their food rescue operations to recover surplus goods and reallocate them to the growing number of households in crisis, including newly arrived immigrant families and those facing job loss.

Move For Hunger is working to add more capacity to food banks during this period by working to provide pro-bono and discounted transportation services through its Charity Freight Network. For food banks looking for support in moving large loads of food - click HERE. For food companies, farmers, distributors, etc. with large quantities of food to donate - click HERE and Move For Hunger will do its best to deliver your food to food banks at no cost. Move For Hunger offers these programs nationwide.

Sharing Excess is scaling food distribution efforts across key cities, including New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles, working with partners to deliver as much fresh, rescued food as possible to communities most impacted by the cuts. To date, they have supplied more than one million pounds of rescued food to dozens of community organizations in direct response to the shutdown. To sustain this work, they have also launched a “sponsor a truckload” initiative, enabling supporters to help keep food moving at scale. A contribution of $1,290 covers the cost of a full truckload of rescued food—more than 30,000 pounds, which can provide a month’s worth of nourishment for approximately 80 families.

Second Servings of Houston is rapidly adapting its food rescue operations to support households facing the impact of SNAP benefit disruptions. The organization is collaborating with more than 150 local nonprofits and shifting more rescued food directly to programs serving individuals and families, including its Pop-Up Grocery program and partner pantries. To increase supply, Second Servings is prioritizing high-volume retail partners like Trader Joe’s, expanding pickup routes. The organization is also coordinating with large-scale community food sites, helping direct families to locations serving up to 1,000 cars per distribution.

White Pony Express, the food recovery organization serving Contra Costa County, CA, is appealing to all food generators – large and small – for more food donations in November and has launched a county wide food drive to offset the loss of benefits and to manage the overall increase in food- and nutrition-insecurity and fear. For more information, visit: https://conta.cc/3LhJ1cQ.