FareStart

Mission

FareStart transforms lives, disrupts poverty and nourishes communities through food, life skills and job training.

Description

Providing real solutions to poverty, homelessness and hunger, FareStart has been helping people transform their lives through food for 30 years. 

People in poverty struggle to escape the cycle they are in and often face other compounding barriers to getting and keeping a job. At FareStart, we help people overcome those barriers by teaching them the work and life skills needed to succeed in the food service industry - and in life. Through our programs, students get practical work experience while giving back to their community by preparing the thousands of meals FareStart provides to social services, shelters and schools in the Puget Sound area. 

Much of the high-quality food we use in our meals is collected from “short shelf life” inventory through our Food Recovery Program. Additionally, this food that is gathered, gleaned and purchased from food partners (including local farmers, grocers, retail stores and donors) is made free to the public through our Mobile Market. Launched in the wake of the pandemic, the Mobile Market is just one of FareStart's innovations meant to find new ways to provide equitable access to fresh, healthy food to communities who are underserved, including those who have been impacted by systemic racism in food systems.

In 2011, FareStart began consulting across North America in order to share our unique model with like-minded organizations. We are leading a movement to help organizations fighting joblessness, poverty and hunger across North America.

By investing in people and building community, we transform homelessness, hunger and poverty into human potential. Because every individual has the opportunity to thrive in an equitable and just world.

Recognition

Thanks to several generous donors, gifts supporting FareStart will be matched.  Take advantage of this opportunity to double your impact!