In the heart of Washington Heights, where culture, community, and resilience meet, two mission-driven organizations have joined forces to tackle hunger head-on. Verde Vida and Rethink Food are proud to partner in a shared mission to ensure that every family has access to healthy, dignified, and culturally relevant meals.
Rooted in a Shared Mission
For Verde Vida, fighting hunger means more than handing out food — it means transforming access. Through monthly Pop-Up Markets, Verde Vida brings fresh produce directly to families across Washington Heights and Inwood, uplifting neighborhoods that have long been overlooked by traditional food systems.
Rethink Food, founded in 2017, takes a creative approach to fighting food insecurity by rescuing excess, high-quality food from restaurants, corporate kitchens, and grocery stores, then repurposing it into nutritious meals distributed through community partners.
Together, Verde Vida and Rethink Food are closing the gap between food waste and food need, turning compassion and innovation into impact.
A Partnership with Purpose
The collaboration between Rethink Food and Verde Vida is simple yet powerful:
- Rethink Food provides ready-to-eat, restaurant-quality meals sourced from rescued ingredients.
- Verde Vida ensures those meals reach families directly through its trusted local network of Pop-Up Markets and community partners.
At each distribution, residents can take home both fresh produce and prepared meals — a combination that brings balance, nourishment, and hope to households facing rising food costs and reduced SNAP benefits.
Fighting Hunger, Building Dignity
This partnership represents more than just food distribution; it’s about community dignity and empowerment.
By centering culturally relevant ingredients and creating spaces where families are welcomed and respected, Verde Vida and Rethink Food are helping to restore choice and pride to the food-assistance experience.
In neighborhoods like Washington Heights, where the cost of living continues to rise, these collaborations ensure that no one has to choose between rent and a healthy meal.
Community Voices
“At Verde Vida, we always say food is love,” shared George Espinal, Founder and President of Verde Vida. “Partnering with Rethink Food allows us to extend that love even further; combining fresh produce with nutritious meals that reflect the heart of our community.”
Verde Vida Volunteer Zue echos that sentiment, calling the joint efforts “a movement, not just a market.” Every event becomes a place for connection, joy, and solidarity; a reminder that the fight against hunger starts with people caring for one another.
Looking Ahead
The partnership’s early success in Washington Heights signals what’s possible when local organizations unite for a common cause. Both Verde Vida and Rethink Food aim to expand their collaborative model; reaching more neighborhoods, rescuing more food, and feeding more families.
By combining Verde Vida’s deep neighborhood roots with Rethink Food’s citywide infrastructure, the two organizations are redefining how New York fights hunger: together, efficiently, and with dignity.
