Summary
Organization name
Kaizen Food Rescue
other names
KFR
2019
Tax id (EIN)
83-4107744
Category
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition
Organization Size
Large Organization
Address
2900 s shoshone stEnglewood, CO 80110
Arapahoe County, CO, US
Kaizen Food Rescue was founded by Thai Nguyen, a refugee, in 2019 with the goal of promoting food security and food justice in the Denver-Metro area. Our organization is dedicated to constantly improving and expanding our services. We provide emergency food assistance and distribute fresh surplus food to those in need in our community.
In the past month alone, we were able to reach almost 4,000 families, providing them with food worth $594,042. This translates to 237,616 meals. By making a donation today, you can help us continue our mission and make a positive impact on the lives of those facing food insecurity.
Testimonials
Ten years ago, Nancy came to Denver with her family to treat her son Angel's cerebral palsy. She lived in a shelter when she first arrived and she did not speak English. She has relied on her son, Armando, to communicate. When Nancy had time away from caring for her family, she made a living by becoming a driver. Her husband worked too.
Nancy knew about our organization through a community navigator, who helped them put food on the table. Their family could get by this way even with the expensive therapy her son needed. However, the pandemic changed all of this. Both Nancy and her husband got sick with COVID-19 and Nancy's husband was hospitalized for 3 weeks.
When her husband was in the ICU Nancy did not know how she was going to pay rent. She did not know how she was going to feed her children and sustain Angel's therapy. Nancy says that she does not know how she would have done it without Kaizen. She reached out to our community navigator to help sustain her family through her husband's hospitalization. And she did. Our organization helped them not have to make the choice between food and therapy for her child. We brought them food when they could not leave their house.
Her husband is still recovering from COVID-19 and cannot work, but she knows that she can put food on the table because of Kaizen Food Rescue. Today she volunteers with us to give to others what she was given in her time of need.
"Thank you so much! Because of you, I don't have to donate blood this week."
-Anonymous
"I am just so grateful to you all. I can now afford my medication."
-Latinx Elder
"With my [SNAP] benefits reduced, I resorted to eating canned cat food. God bless you! Thank you so so much for your help!" - Vietnamese Elder
Mission
The National Resources Defense Council reports that 40% of the food supply in the U.S. is wasted, resulting in over 20 pounds of wasted food per person per month (NRDC, 2017). At Kaizen Food Rescue, we recognize this pressing issue and are dedicated to reducing food waste, promoting food justice, and improving health equity in the Denver metro area.
Background Statement
Do you know that 40% of the food supply in the U.S. is wasted, resulting in over 20 pounds of wasted food per person per month (NRDC, 2017)? It's a staggering amount, especially when you consider that many people in our own communities struggle to put food on the table.
That's why Kaizen Food Rescue (Kaizen) was founded in 2019 by Thai Nguyen, a refugee. Our mission is to reduce food waste, promote food justice, and improve health equity in the Denver metro area. We work tirelessly to ensure that healthy and culturally relevant food is accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances.
As the pandemic hit, food insecurity tripled (HungerFreeColorado 2020), leaving more and more people in need of support. Kaizen stepped up to provide food security to thousands of people, distributing over 11 million pounds of fresh surplus food. Our "community pop-up food shares" program provided crucial assistance to those struggling to make ends meet, and we became one of the largest food distributors and partnership agencies with Food Bank of the Rockies, serving nearly 4,000 families per month.
By donating to Kaizen, you can help us continue our important work and make a positive impact on the lives of those facing food insecurity. With your support, we can ensure that everyone in our community has access to healthy and culturally relevant food, regardless of their circumstances. Together, we can create a healthier and more equitable future for all.
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Organization Data
Englewood, CO 80110