our story

Why Food Recovery?

Hunger in the U.S. isn’t a problem of supply. It’s a problem of access and distribution. The stats tell us that nearly 40 percent of available food in our country goes unsold or uneaten – and the majority of it goes to waste. Meanwhile, 44 million people in the U.S. (1 in 6 households in Massachusetts alone) struggle to feed themselves and their families.

Our Mission: Food + Purpose

Guided by a series of Core Values and Inclusion Tenets, Spoonfuls (formerly Lovin’ Spoonfuls) was launched in 2010. Our mission statement is to facilitate the recovery and distribution of healthy, fresh food that would otherwise be discarded. Our team works to efficiently deliver this food directly to those organizations where it can have the greatest impact and to address the health, environmental, and economic effects of wasted food on our community.

From a single food recovery route in Greater Boston, our fleet has expanded to meet the needs of communities across the state. Today, Spoonfuls is the largest food recovery operation of its kind in New England.

With a proven, scalable model and a focus on sourcing fresh, nutritious food, we’ve distributed over 30 million pounds of food to date. That’s enough to create over 24 million meals.

A man and woman loading boxes of food donated to Boston area food recovery charity Lovin Spoonfuls into a truck.

What Else We Do

In addition to our day-to-day food recovery operations, we’re working in collaboration with community members and groups to raise awareness about the problem of wasted food and to engage people more deeply in identifying long term solutions to tackle food insecurity and the climate emergency. 

partner spotlight

“Just because someone can’t afford the food they need for their health doesn’t mean they don’t still need it. We’re working together with Spoonfuls because when our neighbors are healthier, when they have the supports they need, our whole community is better for it.”

Two men pushing boxes of food donated to Boston area food recovery charity Lovin Spoonfuls on a cart.

Our Team

Whether on the road or off, Spoonfuls’ staff share a common commitment to our mission and strive to center people (especially those who eat the food we deliver) in all we do.

Work at Spoonfuls

You can be a part of our story. Learn more about available positions on our team.

A woman loading boxes into a truck.

Ways to Get Involved

There are so many ways to engage with and support our food recovery and hunger relief work.

Donate Need Food?