This letter from Food Connect CEO and Founder Megha Kulshreshtha and Board Chairperson Richard Vezina is at the beginning of our 2025 Annual Impact Report. 

Across the country, 2025 tested the strength of our food system. Federal funding cuts, changes to SNAP, and delayed benefits left families navigating uncertainty and difficult trade-offs. 

In those moments, communities did what they have always done. They showed up. Local leaders, organizations, and neighbors came together to respond quickly while also building toward long-term solutions. We were honored to stand alongside our partners and local leaders. 

At Food Connect, our role is to make sure food gets where it is needed reliably, efficiently, and with dignity. Working with local organizations last year, in multiple regions across the county, reinforced what we know to be true. Strong coordination and dependable logistics enable communities to adapt, respond, and make food accessible for people, even in profoundly challenging moments. 

Together with our partners, we provided the last-mile delivery of 4.8 million pounds of food, more than 20 percent growth from last year, reaching the equivalent of nearly 4 million meals.

Using a model refined over time, we expanded to two new markets, now reaching communities in the Twin Cities and Newark alongside Greater Philadelphia, the Bay Area, and Kansas City.

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While we are proud of the support we’re providing, we believe that increased demand for food access is not a marker of success. Across the country, we continue to see a disconnect between the abundance of available food and the barriers that prevent it from reaching people, with too much edible food still going to waste. This year, those gaps were widened by policy changes and economic pressure, putting additional strain on families. 

Our work focuses on closing these gaps by moving food to people who need it. Food rescue, the work that led to our founding, still accounts for most of the food we move, alongside increased involvement in Food as Medicine initiatives, home delivery efforts and other food distribution needs. 

In 2025, we saw what is possible when local leadership is supported by the right infrastructure. Partners moved quickly, shared resources, and worked across sectors to meet immediate needs while laying the groundwork for more resilient systems. 

But there is still more work to do. With continued investment and partnership, we can strengthen the systems that move food efficiently, support community-led solutions, and reduce the gaps that leave people without access in the first place. 

Thank you for being part of this collective effort. Together, we will continue building a food system that is more responsive, more equitable, and better prepared for what comes next. 

With gratitude,

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Read our 2025 Annual Impact Report. Stay up-to-date on what's happening at Food Connect and how reliable, dignified transportation infrastructure enables food to be utilized and accessed by signing up for our mailing list. Consider donating today.

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