Impact

"For a long time, my only meals have been sandwiches I picked up at the store. Now, when I go to the freezer I am freely and generously offered nutrient-dense, delicious home cooked vegetable-based frozen meals which I just need to take and home and heat up for healthy, warm dinner.

I honestly can't believe the love and generosity that brings these meals to me every week.

They have greatly improved my nutritional intake and given me a delicious dinner at the end of the day. The variety is so much appreciated. It feels like pure love.”
–“Mary” a CoveCare Bountiful Meals Recipient

Our 2024 Impact By The Numbers

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Meals Cooked

One of the most unique things about Second Chance Foods is The Kitchen! Last year, we increased our meal production by 22%. Because our meals help reduce barriers to accessing healthy food and make it easy to eat healthy food, we’re always working to grow this side of our operations. That’s why in 2025, our goal is to cook over 150,000 meals—as of mid-May we’re already a third of the way there!

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Lbs of Groceries

Last year, we rescued almost *half a million* pounds of food from our partners—8% more than 2023. About 10% of the surplus we collect is not usable so we compost it or feed it to livestock if possible. The rest is sorted for different uses: food to cook, food to freeze (for later use), and the 328,269 pounds that were connected directly to our hunger relief partners. 

drawing of three hands raised the middle with a heart on the sleeve
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Hours Volunteered

Our volunteers make *everything* we do possible! Last year we had over 400 individual volunteers give 34% more time than the year before.  

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Individuals Nourished

The most important impact number—the individuals we exist to support. Last year, we estimate that we nourished over 84,000 children, parents, older adults, veterans, and other individuals—10% more than in 2023.

A Letter from Our Executive Director

Dear Second Chance Foods Community,

Thanks to you, 2024 was a time of growth, resilience, and transformation at Second Chance Foods. We created thousands of nourishing meals, distributed record amounts of groceries, and saw our dedicated volunteers contribute an extraordinary number of hours to feeding our neighbors with dignity and love. While we have counted every hour and recognized its tremendous value, the true impact of this time is beyond measure. Every meal cooked, every bag of food packed, every hour given has made a real difference. Behind every number you see in this report is a person helped and a story of hope. As one recipient recently shared,

“I wanted to express how very grateful I am from the bottom of my heart for your extremely delicious, nutritious, very healthy meals!! I am a 57 year old diabetic client of CoveCare and your cooking is wonderful!!”

None of this would be possible without the compassion, generosity, and hard work of our incredible community.

Thank you for believing in the power of second chances.

As we continue into 2025, I invite you to stay connected, volunteer, advocate, and give: only together can we build a future where everyone has access to nourishing food, provided with dignity.

With gratitude and hope,

Sustainable Growth for Greater Impact

More Nourishing Food Where It's Needed Most

Program Highlights

Doing More in Danbury

In 2024, we added St. Joseph’s Parenting Center in Danbury, CT and increased our support of Dorothy Day Hospitality House! Because we know hunger doesn’t stop at state lines. 

Our partnership with St. Joseph’s Parenting Center (SJPC) in Danbury, CT embodies what partnership means. SJPC supports Second Chance Foods through produce donations and kitchen equipment acquisitions. In return, our kitchen makes it even easier for SJPC participants to enjoy a healthy meal every week before their Parenting Support classes. 

We’ve partnered with Dorothy Day Hospitality House for multiple years, but after they moved this partnership has grown and evolved even more. 

Expansion of Bountiful Meals

Throughout 2024, Bountiful Meals expanded to six freezers with a seventh added in early 2025—but we’re not done yet! More freezers are planned to increase access through our ready-to-eat meals in Putnam. 

 

Bountiful Meals reduces barriers to accessing food through freezers in places community members already visit, like senior centers and libraries. These locations are open five to seven days a week for longer hours. Compared to traditional hunger relief pick-up locations with short windows for pick-up, recipients can select food any time they need help.

a women ladles soup into containers

Community Supported Nutrition (CSN) boxes

Last year our CSN boxes of fresh groceries and nourishing meals expanded to include recipients through Adult Protective Services, the Department of Social Securities. The CSN box program continues to grow and improve to meet the needs of recipients. 

In 2024, we created a total of 4,841 boxes to nourish over 320 every week and a total of 16,279 people all year—an 8% increase from 2023! 

Your Support in Action

Finances for a Sustainable Future

At Second Chance Foods, we have grown slowly and steadily to ensure responsible growth at an organizational level. We have maintained a healthy financial position through diverse fundraising efforts that include generous individual donors, grants and foundations, and events, while constantly working to bring new supporters into our community. Uncertainty in hunger relief is rising, but our goal is to ensure that our programs can last as a dependable source of nourishing food for as long as the community needs our services. During these unpredictable times, income is never guaranteed. However, as some of our funding is suspended, ended, or uncertain, we remain committed to staying flexible and finding new sources while putting the most of our resources towards our program and operating without interruption.

Pie chart of income
Pie chart key: $1.76 Million in Income. $252,000 individual gifts; $82,000 Harvest Celebration $60,000 Hudson Valley Gives, $471,512 Grants and Foundations; $892,474 Donated Food
Bar chart of expenses: $1.6Million total expenses, 89% program, 6% fundraising, and 5% admin or other.
line icon of an apple core with circle arrows around it

Climate Justice is Food Justice​

Our Environmental Commitment

Reducing food waste is the third most impactful way to reverse climate change. Using the online ReFed Insights Engine Calculator, in 2024 our recovery efforts prevented the following waste and impact on the earth:

• 306.02 Tons of CO2 (almost 779K miles driven)

3 Metric tons of CH4 (Methane)

• 35.28 Million gallons of water (equal to 53 Olympic swimming pools)

a red bucket filled with compost scraps like onion tops, green peelings, and grape vines

2025 Goals and More

Every year continues to be another year of growth and learning more about how needed our work is in the community. According to the United Way, “Over the last decade, the number of ALICE households in New York has continued to rise. Despite minimum wage increases, wages have failed to keep up with the cost of household basics. When prices increase faster than wages, purchasing power decreases. This is especially challenging for ALICE households that are already struggling to make ends meet.” In 2025 our program goals include: 

chickpea salad with colorful vegetables and herbs in a compostable to go container.

150,000 Delicious Meals Cooked​​

Over 320,000 Pounds Fresh Groceries ​

an open freezer filled with pints of prepared meals

New Bountiful Meal Freezers in Putnam County

rows of plastic to go containers without lids filled with chicken noodle soup

Westchester Ready-to-Eat Meal Expansion

banana boxes filled with assorted food stacked inside a mini van

Three new staff, facility renovations, and more to increase organizational capacity at every level!

Strategic Planning for Strategic Growth

When Second Chance Foods was founded in 2016, we had no idea how our mission would resonate with the community, the extent of the unmet need we could help solve, and the rapid growth we would experience. Over the last nine years, we have built partnerships, evolved, and emerged into a streamlined Food Rescue Hub and Kitchen that connect over 30,000 pounds of fresh groceries and more than 12,000 meals *every month* to our neighbors who need food assistance. 

While addressing the current needs is critical in hunger relief, it does not leave much time for organizational development. That is why last year we decided to take the time to engage in strategic planning. Starting in late 2024 and continuing through May 2025, this planning has been an opportunity to reflect and plan for the future with our board, staff, volunteers, and some additional stakeholders. Together, we brought clarity to our mission and defined our shared values while identifying the most important goals to focus on for the next few years to help us achieve our long-term vision. Stay tuned for our finalized plan to be announced in June 2025!

A New Logo for a New Stage

Along with our strategic plan, we’ve updated our logo and branding to reflect who we have become while continuing to ground us in our history and ongoing values.   

the new Second Chance Foods logo in the center and the description of key elements: Rooted in History: Did you know? In 2017, the first meal we cooked was carrot ginger soup using 60 pounds of gleaned carrots. This seemingly simple meal set the stage for our future and opened a whole new side to how we break the cycle of hunger and food waste. Care and Dignity: From our founding, it was important to us that the individuals we serve are treated with dignity and respect. The internal heart is a reminder of our values in action. Elevate Food for Others: Like the arrow outline, food is always moving through our facility. From what comes in and what we send out, we transform and give purpose to ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. Community: Collaboration and community are central to what we do and how we do it. From our incredible volunteers to our partner organizations, we could not do this work alone.

Help Us Do More in 2025!

Save These Dates to Support

5•21•25

A Day of Community Giving

Circle graphic of bridge and river in Hudson Valley

From 5,000 to 150,000—You Can Make a Difference

This Hudson Valley Gives, we’re raising $65,000 to support the rapid growth of our organization. Every week we’re working to increase the total pounds of groceries we rescue, meals we cook, partners we connect with fresh food, and individuals we nourish. Today, we’re cooking year-round, three days a week, and on track to prepare over 150,000 meals in 2025—30 times more than in 2017, our first year! 

More than growth—it’s transformation. And it’s driven by an urgent truth we hear from nearly every hunger-relief partner we serve: “We need more.” As we work to scale and meet this need, we need your help. Our ability to keep up with this rising demand depends on an essential ingredient: you. 

10•16•25

Join Us for a Celebration of Impact

October 16, 2025 6:30 p.m.–9:00p.m.
Mount Kisco Country Club

This special evening isn’t just about raising funds – it’s an opportunity to celebrate the incredible impact we’ve made together.

Join us to learn about how we’ve grown this year and the difference we’ve made in the lives of those we serve. 

Enjoy delicious food prepared by our dedicated volunteers (using the same recipes we use to nourish our recipients), the return of our famous grazing board, a signature cocktail and open bar, live music, and a silent auction. 


Tickets go on sale in July—we look forward to celebrating with you!

Our History

Over Nine Years of Growth

Contact Us

Though we wish we could supply food to everyone in need, Second Chance Foods cannot provide meals or groceries directly to individuals. Our solution is to collaborate with existing programs in the community and supplement their food with our meals and groceries. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please refer to our resource page here for our partnerships and local options.

Our Mailing Address and Facility:

120 Marvin Ave
Brewster, NY 10509

*please note we do not keep "hours" at the kitchen at this time. If you are looking to donate food please contact Kathryn@SecondChanceFoods.org or call 845-723-1302

Volunteer Questions contact Volunteer Coordinator Melissa Paladino 845-723-1309

For all other questions please contact us at 845-723-1315


Help Us Do More in 2025!

Save these Dates to Support

5•21•25

A Day of Community Giving

Circle graphic of bridge and river in Hudson Valley

From 5,000 to 150,000—You Can Make a Difference

This Hudson Valley Gives, we’re raising $65,000 to support the rapid growth of our organization. Every week we’re working to increase the total pounds of groceries we rescue, meals we cook, partners we connect with fresh food, and individuals we nourish. Today, we’re cooking year-round, three days a week, and on track to prepare over 150,000 meals in 2025—30 times more than in 2017, our first year! 

More than growth—it’s transformation. And it’s driven by an urgent truth we hear from nearly every hunger-relief partner we serve: “We need more.” As we work to scale and meet this need, we need your help. Our ability to keep up with this rising demand depends on an essential ingredient: you. 

10•16•25

Join Us for a Celebration of Impact

October 16, 2025 6:30 p.m.–9:00p.m.
Mount Kisco Country Club

This special evening isn’t just about raising funds – it’s an opportunity to celebrate the incredible impact we’ve made together.

Join us to learn about how we’ve grown this year and the difference we’ve made in the lives of those we serve. 

Enjoy delicious food prepared by our dedicated volunteers (using the same recipes we use to nourish our recipients), the return of our famous grazing board, a signature cocktail and open bar, live music, and a silent auction. 


Tickets go on sale in July—we look forward to celebrating with you!