Who we are

Since 1992, Food Donation Connection has assisted food service companies with the development and implementation of Harvest Programs designed to provide an alternative to discarding surplus food. We have coordinated the donation of over 230 million pounds of quality prepared food from food service providers located in United States and Canada. We are currently working with our donors to establish Harvest Programs in the UK and Australia. In 2011, 248 business entities through 13,880 restaurants donated 35 million pounds to 7,908 agencies.
Our team members have experience with major restaurant chains and retailers in operations and food quality. We have four team members certified as ServSafe® trainers.

Our Partnership with the National Restaurant Association

“The National Restaurant Association strongly encourages its members to donate more food, and we recently partnered with Food Donation Connection (FDC) to do just that. Founded by a former restaurant executive, FDC serves as the liaison between the restaurants interested in donating food and the social service agencies adept at getting that food to people in need. FDC helps restaurants develop and implement programs designed to provide an alternative to discarding surplus food, while capitalizing on the economic benefits of those donations through the tax savings. “
    --Dave Koenig, Director, Tax and Profitability, National Restaurant Association

What we do

Food Donation Connection manages food donation programs for food service companies interested in donating food. The donating process is based on donors receiving economic benefit through tax savings in addition to involvement with community and corporate goodwill. Read Darden Restaurants’ Harvest Program Food Donation Case Study.

Donors are linked to those in need through existing non-profit hunger relief organizations.

Food Donation Connection administers these programs through the use of an efficient communication and reporting network. Program responsibilities include linking donor locations with food rescue groups or those feeding the needy, assisting in the development of product quality and handling standards, tax valuation, donation reporting and ongoing monitoring and follow-up to ensure program implementation and growth.

Food Donation Connection does not compete with non-profits for the limited funding that is currently available from government and private sources. Instead, our funding comes from a small portion of our donor partners incremental tax savings that is earned from properly saving and donating their surplus food. In exchange for this funding, we coordinate all aspects of our donor partner’s food donation programs.

Food Donation Connection currently coordinates Harvest Programs for Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s, A&W, NPC International, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, The Cheesecake Factory, Grand Lux Café, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Famous Dave's, Auntie Anne's, Rock Bottom Breweries, Old Chicago, Chop House, Cracker Barrel and Walnut Brewery. We have several other major restaurant chains currently in the development stage of forming Harvest Programs.