Tikkun Olam.
To repair the world through acts of kindness.
Tikkun Farm started as an after-school & summer camp program in Mt. Healthy. They gave city kids a chance to meet animals, garden, and learn about sustainable living. Later they began offering “Cooking on a Budget” classes for adults. When spring 2020 hit, COVID forced them to shut down their programs, but that didn’t shut down their passion for healing & repairing through acts of kindness.
Tikkun Farm pivoted.
When the “stay at home” order began, those at Tikkun farm knew families would struggle. Every child in the Mt Healthy schools receives free breakfast and lunch. Suddenly families would need to provide 3 meals/day instead of one. Parents who were already struggling were suddenly facing increased food insecurity. And at a time when people most needed support, community had vanished. Mary Laymon, Tikkun Farm’s executive director, listened to Glenn Brown, the chef for the cooking program. Tikkun Farm had been receiving surplus food from the Mt Healthy Alliance Food Pantry. Glenn suggested they use it to make meals for school families. Mary agreed, and the food they didn’t need for the meals they shared with the community. Word spread fast & soon cars were lining up down the street for Tikkun Farm’s distributions. What had started as a stopgap measure to get through the pandemic suddenly became a core need in the neighborhood that Tikkun Farm was filling.
As the number of partner agencies donating surplus food increased, Tikkun Farm struggled to find volunteers to pick it up. There was a lot of food available, but every rescue had to be coordinated by phone calls to and from Mary. The operations were time consuming and volunteer time was limited. Just when they thought they were going to have to begin turning food away, they heard about Last Mile.
“You guys have been a godsend to us,” said Raeann Reiber, a volunteer on the leadership team. “We would be turning away food & people if it weren’t for Last Mile.”
Since our partnership first began in December, Last Mile has not only taken over the logistics of much of Tikkun Farm’s existing food rescue operations but has also brought large amounts of new food – mostly produce and milk – to add to their distributions. This partnership allows each organization to do what we do best. Last Mile covers the logistics and Tikkun can focus on distributing the food and connecting with their community to create healing and restoration. In the end, more good food is distributed to more people & we’re all able to accomplish together what we could never do apart.
Thank you, Tikkun, for your partnership & your commitment to the community.
Want to learn more? Check out Tikkun Farm’s website at www.tikkunfarm.com
Want to volunteer as a food rescue hero driver? Download the app to claim a rescue!
Virtually follow a Food Rescue Hero on a rescue to Tikkun Farms here.
Pounds Rescued: 13,298
Rescues Completed: 54
Food Donors: Bimbo Bread Supply, Castellini Produce, Midwest Food Service Division, Pantry Rescues, Product Fulfillment Solutions, UDF