Food Donation Connection

Food Donation Connection (FDC), LLC headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, is a privately owned American company facilitating the donation process between restaurants/food service companies with surplus food and local social service agencies that distribute food to those in need. FDC's primary goal is to redirect prepared food that would otherwise be discarded towards feeding individuals facing hunger.

Founded in 1992 by Bill Reighard, a former restaurant executive, Food Donation Connection (FDC) operates primarily from its headquarters and Harvest Support call center situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. FDC aids food service companies by creating and executing Harvest Food Donation Programs designed to offer an alternative to disposing of surplus prepared food.

FDC facilitates the coordination of donations from client donors, including restaurants, college campuses, airports, and hospitals, to food rescue agencies across the United States, Canada, and select overseas locations.

In 2011, FDC coordinated the donation of 35 million pounds of surplus prepared food from 248 food service businesses, which included 13,880 restaurants or donor locations, to 7,908 local non-profit hunger relief organizations.

FDC assists its agency partners by assessing their current requirements and linking them with appropriate food service businesses capable of donating surplus, perishable, prepared food. This allows recipient agencies to allocate their resources towards fulfilling their primary mission rather than expending them on acquiring and preparing food.

Food Donation Connection does not seek funding from government and private sources in competition with non-profits. Instead, FDC's funding is generated from a percentage of the incremental tax savings experienced by donor partners as a result of properly donating surplus food. Donors who responsibly store and donate surplus food are afforded opportunities to participate in their local communities, foster corporate goodwill, enhance employee morale, realize potential tax benefits, and decrease their carbon footprint.

The Harvest Support Network (HSN) was initially established as a non-profit organization by FDC to offer services that complement the operations of recipient agencies. However, HSN has discontinued accepting public donations and has relinquished its legal designation as a 501(c)(3) charity. The duties of supporting these activities have been assumed by FDC and other interested parties committed to assisting those serving individuals in need. The decision to alter the legal designation was primarily driven by the realization that the resources required for fundraising did not justify maintaining non-profit status.

HSN's mission is to furnish systems and operational assistance to 501(c)(3) food banks and other charitable entities, enabling them to allocate their resources to their designated non-profit objectives. HSN provides training materials, scheduling and tracking systems, and tools that facilitate agencies in aligning their needs with volunteer interests. These services augment the capacity of non-profits to pursue their respective missions and operate with greater efficiency.

Partnerships and civic involvement
In 2009, FDC established a formal partnership with the National Restaurant Association to raise awareness about alternatives to disposing of surplus food in landfills. Both organizations share the common objective of alleviating hunger and minimizing food waste in America.

The company is actively involved in advocating for legislation such as the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act of 1996, which protects well-intentioned donors from civil and criminal liability. FDC also advocates for donation tax laws that improve incentives for food donors and facilitate increased donations, regardless of scale.

Donor partners
As of 2012, FDC coordinates Harvest Food Donation Programs for 248 companies, which include various restaurants and food service companies. Including:


 * ARAMARK
 * Auntie Anne's
 * Bob Evans Restaurants
 * Brinker International
 * Caribou Coffee
 * Chipotle Mexican Grill
 * Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen)
 * Famous Dave's
 * HMSHost
 * NPC International
 * Papa John's Pizza
 * Red Lobster
 * Starbucks
 * Yum! Brands (Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, The Habit Burger Grill)
 * Wawa
 * Whole Foods

Harvest recipient partners
As of 2012, FDC actively facilitates the donation of surplus, wholesome prepared food to benefit over 7,900 local agencies. These agencies represent a diverse array of organizations, including homeless shelters, teen homes, after-school programs, crisis shelters for women and children, soup kitchens, emergency food pantries, and food rescue organizations.