Homegrown food within reach

Join me in supporting Fresh Food Connect!

I serve on the Board of Fresh Food Connect, an organization that brings together two things I care about: good food and addressing food insecurity. As a dietitian living in San Diego, I see how access to fresh, nutritious food directly shapes health and quality of life.

San Diego faces real challenges around food insecurity. About 26% of people in our county don’t have consistent access to healthy meals, which adds up to more than 800,000 residents! While food insecurity impacts everyone, it hit children and older adults the hardest.

Fresh Food Connect addresses food insecurity by making it easy for home gardeners to donate extra fruits and vegetables so food pantries can offer more fresh produce. I joined the board because I believe in this model and in the people behind it. They care deeply about reducing waste, strengthening local food systems, and making sure more families have the fresh food they deserve.FFC Board & Staff Retreat 2024

Join me in supporting Fresh Food Connect this holiday season through a donation! I will personally match any donations from my network up to $1,000

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Learn more about FFC and our impact below:

Homegrown food within reach.

Extra produce to donate? The Fresh Food Connect free mobile app connects gardeners directly to a local hunger relief organization, simplifying the donation process and supporting your community. 

The Need

Each year, roughly 1 in 4 people in San Diego experiences food insecurity, yet 40% of our food is wasted. 

At the same time, 1 in 3 households grows food at home or in community gardens. 

Our Solution

The Fresh Food Connect mobile app bridges this gap. We connect home and community gardeners with nearby hunger relief organizations, turning garden abundance into community nourishment.

Our Community Partners

"Ranchito Milkyway Farm was started after (the owners) realized that life is too short to do anything but what the world needs. They value connecting people with fresh, local, organic food using regenerative farming practices. We connected with Ranchito Milkyway through Fresh Food Connect, and they have donated kale, French breakfast radishes and lettuce mix. These were used for Heaven's Windows' Child Nutrition Meals so that high need children have access to local, organic produce."

- Heaven's Windows, San Diego, CA

  Our Gardeners 

"I’m very happy that I found (Fresh Food Connect) and Healthy Day Partners. I wouldn’t know how to go about supplying food pantries on my own."
- San Diego Gardener

Our impact beyond the numbers:

• Connection, resources and support for thousands of new and seasoned San Diego gardeners 

• Good food stays out of landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and offsetting costs for families and individuals in need

• A community-based food system, where neighbors support each other, and where food in local pantries and in free, community markets is nutritious, and culturally relevant

Together, we’re building a more connected, sustainable, and equitable food future — one garden at a time.