Overview
What is Food Connects Inc?
Food Connects Inc is a nonprofit organization located in Brattleboro, Vermont, with 27 employees. Their primary mission is to foster healthy connections between farms and communities, particularly in schools and cafeterias. In 2021, they emphasized outdoor education and school meal programs for low-income families, expanding their summer garden program to more schools and boosting local food purchasing by 56%. They also focused on educating stakeholders about the school food program's origins and collaborated with partners to strengthen the regional food system, especially during emergency food needs. The food hub enterprise they manage experienced growth, supporting local producers in reaching new markets and addressing supply chain challenges in rural areas. The organization also provides technical assistance to producers, helping them meet wholesale and food safety requirements.
What are the reviews and ratings of this charity?
Charity Navigator Rating: Needs Improvement (Two-Star out of Four Star rating, 61%)
Food Connects Inc has received a Two-Star rating from Charity Navigator, indicating that the organization is in need of improvement. Its overall score of 61% reflects significant strengths in governance, including a fully independent board and adherence to conflict of interest policies. However, the nonprofit faces challenges in financial reporting, as evidenced by a low score of 0 for financial statements and several other accountability measures.
The organization demonstrates a strong commitment to its programs, with an impressive program expense ratio of 88.25%. This suggests that a large majority of its resources are directed towards its mission-related activities. However, areas such as whistleblower policy and document retention show a lack of compliance, which could raise concerns about operational transparency and accountability.
Overall, while Food Connects Inc shows promise with its governance structure and program focus, its financial reporting and accountability practices require significant attention for improvement. Addressing these weaknesses could enhance its rating and increase trust among donors and stakeholders.
This AI summary has been generated from information found on Charity Navigator.
Is Food Connects Inc legitimate?
Food Connects Inc is a legitimate nonprofit organization registered as a 501(c)(3) entity. Food Connects Inc submitted a form 990, which is a tax form used by tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., indicating its operational transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements. Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
Heare are some key statistics you may want to consider:
Executive Compensation: $0
Professional Fundraising Fees: $0
Other Salaries and Wages: $526,793
For more financial information, click here
What is the mission statement of Food Connects Inc?
Food Connects Inc's mission is centered around fostering healthy connections between farms, schools, cafeterias, and communities. Their primary goal is to educate and engage various sectors, promoting a deeper understanding and utilization of local food sources. In classrooms, they strive to integrate farm-to-table concepts, while in cafeterias, they aim to increase awareness of where food originates. Within communities, they work towards establishing sustainable food systems. Their activities include the Farm to School Program, which focuses on outdoor education and local food purchasing, as well as community engagement efforts to strengthen regional food systems. They also provide technical assistance to producers, helping them meet wholesale and food safety requirements.
Who is the CEO of Food Connects Inc?
Paul Renouf is the President of Food Connects Inc.
What is the revenue of Food Connects Inc?
Food Connects Inc's revenue in 2021 was $866,389.
Who are the executives of Food Connects Inc and what are their salaries?
The average compensation at Food Connects Inc during 2021 was $19,511. There are 27 employees at Food Connects Inc.
Here are 6 key members and their salaries:
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Where can I find the form 990 for Food Connects Inc?
Food Connects Inc's most recent form 990 was submitted in 2021 and can be accessed here.
Mission Statement of Food Connects Inc
Food Connects Inc, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to fostering healthy connections between farms and food in classrooms, cafeterias, and communities. Their mission is to cultivate an understanding of where food comes from, promote sustainable food practices, and enhance access to nutritious meals. Through their Farm to School Program, they engage schools and communities to increase local food purchasing, educate students and families about school meals, and expand outdoor education opportunities. Additionally, Food Connects Inc works towards building community engagement around the regional food system by hosting conversations with partners and providing technical assistance to producers. The organization also supports retail outlets, particularly in rural areas, by helping them access food during supply chain challenges and labor shortages. Overall, Food Connects Inc aims to create a more sustainable and equitable food system by connecting communities with local farmers and promoting healthy eating habits.
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Impact
July, 2024
Food Connects Inc's impact can be seen in the significant strides it has made in cultivating healthy farm and food connections in classrooms, cafeterias, and communities. In 2021, the organization's Farm to School Program adapted to the challenges faced by schools, with a renewed focus on outdoor education and the vital role of school meal programs for children from low-income families. The summer school garden program expanded to more schools, teacher engagement in outdoor education increased, and local food purchasing saw a remarkable 56% increase, exceeding $200,000.
Furthermore, Food Connects Inc's efforts in building community engagement around the regional food system have been notable. The organization has facilitated regular conversations with partners to enhance coordination, particularly in the emergency food system. The Food Hub enterprise has witnessed significant growth, supporting more producers in accessing new markets and ensuring that retail outlets, particularly in rural areas, have access to food during supply chain challenges.
Through providing technical assistance to producers and educating consumers about the origins of their food, Food Connects Inc has been instrumental in fostering a more resilient and sustainable food system. All food sales revenue generated has been used to cover operational costs, underscoring the organization's commitment to its mission of cultivating healthy farm and food connections in various settings.
This information is meant to be a general summary of Food Connects Inc. Please take the time to review official sources before making any decisions based upon the content provided here.
Financials
This financial information is from Propublica.
Other financial information:
This information is from the most recently submitted tax form from this organization, which was in 2021.
- Investment Income: $348
- Program Service Revenue: $59,417
- Gross Receipts: $2,328,223
Assets and Liabilities:
- Total Assets: $827,730
- Total Liabilities: $294,072
- Net Assets: $533,658
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Programs
Programs are reported by nonprofits in their tax forms and are normally their tax-exempt activities.
EDUCATION SERVICES
Revenue
$56,562
OTHER
Revenue
$2,855
Organization Details
Founding Year
2013
Phone
(802) 451-0538Principal Officer
Paul Renouf
Main Address
22 BROWNE COURT 110, BRATTLEBORO, VT, 05301
NTEE Category
Code: K30 - Food
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