Food Forward, Inc. is a West Coast nonprofit that provides, free of charge, millions of pounds of fresh, nutritious produce to those suffering from food insecurity. In 2024, Food Forward was able to rescue and redirect more than 90 million pounds of delicious fruits and vegetables to millions of Angelenos in need.
The company also recently brought on two new leaders. David Lake, CEO of 4Earth Farms joins the board and Stevie Shandler, director of growth and sustainability at SGS Produce joins as an advisor. Both are deeply rooted in the produce industry and equally passionate about solving food insecurity.
L-R: David Lake, Stevie Shandler
Lake has spent decades working to make fresh, healthy food more accessible while championing sustainable practices. "Food should never go to waste when families are going hungry," he says. "Food Forward's mission of turning excess into impact is something I'm honored to be part of."
Shandler is dedicated to reducing food waste through cross-industry collaboration. "Fighting food insecurity while tackling waste isn't just about feeding people today. It's about building a better food system for the future," she says.
With food insecurity continuing to impact millions—including those affected by recent economic challenges—Lake and Shandler's leadership comes at a critical time to help scale the organization's mission and deepen its impact.
With the recent Los Angeles wildfires, Food Forward answered the call to expand its reach by providing fresh produce—specifically handheld fruits—to several fire relief efforts and its normal network of distributions that includes over 250 hunger relief partners. While this may seem simple, studies show that eating fresh produce can help reduce stress for those experiencing traumatic situations like loss.
For more information:
Food Forward Inc.
Tel: +1 (818) 764-1022
info@foodforward.org
http://www.foodforward.org/