The Covid-19 crisis has most heavily impacted Black and Brown communities on the South and West Sides of Chicago. Our mission has always been to provide the city’s most vulnerable with healthy, healing food, but through the Covid-19 pandemic this work has become more important than ever. Our Fresh Moves team has pivoted from their usual operations to focus on our emergency food relief efforts. We have grown and distributed nutrient-dense produce as well as coordinated and delivered culturally-affirming meals to communities most in need. Between these produce boxes and prepared meals, over one million pounds of food has been donated.
We’re incredibly grateful for all of the funders that have supported our Squad approach, which employs on-the-ground collaborations (“Squads”). These Squads directly support BIPOC-led organizations and allow them to safely grow, process, prepare, and distribute high quality, nutritious meals and produce boxes to folks in need. Unlike other Covid-19 relief efforts, our Squad approach meets the immediate needs of communities while also creating opportunities for these organizations to expand their operations. By supporting these BIPOC-led businesses, we can not only provide emergency food to Black and brown communities during the Covid-19 pandemic, but we can continue to work towards building a more equitable Chicago food system.
