ProduceGood, a San Diego-based nonprofit dedicated to reducing food waste and alleviating hunger, is proud to announce the recent support of five generous funding partners – Cushman Foundation, Carlsbad Charitable Foundation, Scoop San Diego, Dr. Bronner’s Green Team Giving Circle, and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties. These grants will help strengthen food recovery efforts, deepen community partnerships, and lay the groundwork for long-term strategic growth.
These investments support ProduceGood’s continued efforts to get nutritious produce into the hardest-to-reach and highest-need neighborhoods of our county, ensuring that fresh, local fruits and vegetables are shared equitably across San Diego.
The Cushman Foundation has selected ProduceGood as one of seven grantees to receive funding through its Phil Fest 2025 grant, awarding $100,000. This grant will fund Sprout Forward, ProduceGood’s new project that will deliver approximately 246,000 servings of fresh produce to food-insecure communities in North County. The project places a special emphasis on deepening relationships with current feeding partners and expanding connections with new organizations to ensure a more consistent and targeted distribution of produce to our north county neighbors.
The Carlsbad Charitable Foundation has awarded ProduceGood a grant of $11,000 to support a new youth-focused initiative, Generation Glean. This program is designed to engage youth in building a more sustainable and nourishing future through hands-on food justice education. Activities will include Generation Glean Days (gleaning events for families and youth), Nourishing Nutrients bags full of rescued produce for families, and Food Exploration workshops that teach children about healthy eating and food rescue. The program aims to inspire the next generation of changemakers while increasing access to fresh produce for Carlsbad families.
Scoop San Diego’s annual ScoopFest raised an incredible $55,000 for ProduceGood in June. Ice cream lovers from across the county came together to support food rescue efforts while enjoying sweet treats from 35 local vendors. This generous support allows ProduceGood to keep doing what it does best: rescuing perfectly good produce and getting it into the hands of those who need it most. It directly strengthens the heart of the organization’s work by supporting year-round food recovery in underfunded pockets of the county. From outreach and logistics to volunteer coordination and community connection, this gift fuels the essential, everyday work that keeps the mission moving forward.
A long-time advocate for regenerative and sustainable practices, Dr. Bronner’s Green Team Giving Circle has awarded ProduceGood $5,800 to help advance its food recovery work and partnerships across the region. As a company deeply committed to environmental and social justice, Dr. Bronner’s aligns closely with ProduceGood’s mission to reduce food waste while nourishing communities.
Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties has awarded ProduceGood a capacity-building grant of $16,300 to support strategic planning and organizational development. In response to the suspension of $55,000 in federal funding and rising food insecurity, this grant will help ProduceGood shift to a more relational, community-centered approach.
Since its founding in 2014, ProduceGood has recovered nearly 7 million servings of fresh produce, redirecting surplus fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste to our neighbors who need them most.
“We are deeply grateful to the Cushman Foundation, the Carlsbad Charitable Foundation, Scoop San Diego, Dr. Bronner’s, and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties for investing in our vision and helping us put community back into the food system,” said Alexandra White, executive director and co-founder of ProduceGood. “These grants are helping us sprout forward into the communities that need us most, with greater focus, deeper collaboration, and lasting impact.”
Hunger is rising again across San Diego County, while funding cuts make it harder than ever for individuals and families to access fresh, healthy food. At a time when 26% of San Diegans are nutrition insecure, ProduceGood is stepping up against this rising tide, but they can’t do it alone.
These recent grants have sparked vital momentum. Now it’s up to the community to carry it forward. Every donation helps recover more produce to reach more neighbors and bring us closer to a food system rooted in equity and care. Every hour volunteered and every fruit or vegetable donated provides a healthy meal to a San Diegan who needs it.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.producegood.org.
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