SOCIAL INNOVATION “FAST PITCH” GETS FRUITY!
FOOD FORWARD SCORES MULTIPLE WINS AT 2010 SOCIAL INNOVATION FAST PITCH
Anti-hunger non-profit, Food Forward (FOODFORWARD.ORG ), represented by Founder/Executive Director, Rick Nahmias, was named winner of two awards at the LA SVP (Social Venture Partners) Social Innovation Fast Pitch last week.
Food Forward picked up the Audience Award, which was voted on by the capacity crowd of 500, as well
as the Innovation/Impact Award which was given to the organization whose work best personifies social
innovation and holds the greatest potential for wide impact.
Up against nine other Southern California-based non-profit finalists which were culled from over 50 initial
non-profit applicants, Food Forward was one of three organizations singled out for awards at the event
which was held at USC Thursday evening, October 21, 2010.
Formed in early 2009, with the harvesting of 800 pounds of fruit from a single backyard in the San
Fernando Valley, Food Forward has quickly grown into Southern California’s largest urban gleaning nonprofit
organization, providing over 1 million servings of fresh free local fruit to LA area pantries. They have built an all-volunteer corps of hundreds of Angelinos of all ages who take part in upwards of a dozen picks a month ranging from one tree to five hundred, with 100% of the harvest going to feed LA’s hungry.
Food Forward’s winning three-minute pitch, delivered by Nahmias, highlighted the young organization’s
urgent need for funds to: buy its first vehicle, to secure a permanent storage space, to recruit board
members, and most importantly, funds to hire their first paid employee.
Nahmias, a professional documentary photographer, who launched Food Forward after growing tired of
seeing the food waste in his own neighborhood said, “Just making it into this room was a win in itself.
Walking away with two prizes was incredibly humbling for a group of our young age. Our core team has created a rewarding low cost way to address an important pressing issue in LA – hunger, which effects 1 in 8 Angelinos. To have our work and overwhelming demands we face acknowledged by both the nonprofit and philanthropy community, and the audience at large gives us great optimism for our growth and fundraising efforts in the months ahead.”
Working under the fiscal sponsorship of 501c.3 organization, LA Community Garden Council, donations to Food Forward are tax-deductible.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON FOOD FORWARD please contact: info@foodforward.org or call 818-530-4125
We sincerely appreciate your support and committment to our growing organization and hope to see you all in a tree very soon!
Best,
Rick Nahmias
Food Forward
Founder/Executive Director
