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We are ensuring no family goes hungry by rescuing surplus food and delivering it to those who need it most.
Our Program's
At Food. ¡Para Todos!, we are dedicated to providing free food to individuals and families in need, supporting sustainable practices, and fostering a strong sense of community. Here’s how we make an impact through our services:
Popup pantries
Our weekly pop-up pantries bring fresh rescued food directly into neighborhoods across Merced County every Saturday through partnerships with local churches, apartment communities, and other trusted community spaces. Instead of asking families to come to one central location, we work with partners to bring food where it is needed most. These pop-ups help increase access to nutritious food in a way that feels welcoming, local, and community-centered. Whether someone is facing a tough month, living on a fixed income, working hard to make ends meet, or simply needs a little extra help, our pop-up pantries are here for everyone.
For more information about upcoming pop-up pantries and where they will be held:
Fan hubs
Our FaN Hubs, which stands for Family and Nutrition Hubs, originated in 2021 and help extend food access directly into the places where families with young children already gather and receive care. Through this program, Food Para Todos partners with Family Child Care Home providers and other trusted community spaces to deliver rescued food and helpful resources in a way that is local, convenient, and relationship-based. FaN Hubs are designed to support providers, children, and families by making nutritious food more accessible while building stronger connections within the community. This model helps us meet families where they are and create another pathway for food to reach homes with dignity and care.
County-Wide Food Rescue Program
Our county-wide food rescue program helps recover good, edible food before it goes to waste and redirects it back into the community where it can do the most good. In alignment with California’s SB 1383, we work with local food generators to recover the maximum amount of surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away, while helping reduce landfill waste and methane emissions. SB 1383 is a California law designed to cut organic waste disposal and expand edible food recovery so that more food feeds people instead of ending up in the trash.
We partner with businesses, institutions, and other local food generators to create reliable food recovery pathways that support compliance with county and state requirements. SB 1383 requires certain commercial edible food generators to donate the maximum amount of edible food that would otherwise be disposed of, and to establish contracts or written agreements with food recovery organizations or services. Our role is to make that process practical, professional, and community-focused by helping partners set up recovery systems that are safe, consistent, and responsive to local needs.
Once food is recovered, we move it quickly through our community distribution network so it stays fresh and reaches people efficiently. That food is then redistributed through pop-up pantries, partner organizations, outreach events, and other neighborhood-based efforts across Merced County. This approach helps local organizations stay in compliance, strengthens the food recovery system county-wide, and ensures that surplus food is used for its highest and best purpose: feeding people and not landfills.
