Scope

Early in its development, Good Food Works learned that gaps in distribution capacity within the regional food supply chain, especially in packing, warehousing, and trucking, were limiting the potential for fresh local farm products to efficiently reach the New York City consumer and institutional markets, especially in low-income communities.

Recognizing The Doe Fund’s existing capacities in commercial driving and fleet management and preliminary interest in warehousing as a target sector for new workforce training, Good Food Works began to explore the concept of a distribution program that could help streamline the local food supply chain and create commercial driving and warehouse operations training and employment opportunities for Ready, Willing, & Able participants.

Because last-mile logistics, the last phase of the delivery of products to their final destination, had proven to be a particularly stubborn bottleneck in the New York City food supply chain, and because a New York City-based distribution model seemed best aligned with The Doe Fund’s existing geographical scope and operating experience, Good Food Works launched a last-mile pilot program.

In collaboration with Corbin Hill Food Project, Good Food Works provided packing and last-mile logistics services to the office of the Manhattan Borough President’s Fresh Food for Seniors program in Northern Manhattan, bringing seniors in Harlem and Washington Heights an affordable bi-weekly delivery of fresh produce during the summer and fall.