How it all began ...
'The English Muffin Story'
In 1978, (future Foodlink founder) Tom Ferraro was working for Action for a Better Community when he received funding to launch a Community Food and Nutrition Program. He went on the local news (the Eddie Meath Show) to make a community-wide appeal for food to support the growing number of emergency food pantries in the area. He received a call for a food donation from the warehouse manager at Thomas’ English Muffins.
On Dec. 19, 1978, Tom arrived at the warehouse in his wood-paneled station wagon to pick up the muffins, only to discover he’d actually need a much larger vehicle to haul away the generous donation. Since he did not have access to a truck, Tom borrowed an ABC Head Start school bus—and filled it completely!
And thus the Genesee Valley Regional Food Clearinghouse, which changed its name to Foodlink in 1991, was created with the mission to rescue and redistribute food from manufacturers, retailers, and other donors to human-service organizations.
Foodlink honors Ferraro and that first English Muffin donation each year on December 19, which is affectionately called “Muffin Day.”
The beginning
Wegmans
Feeding America
Incorporated
West Ave.
New moniker
Kids Cafe
Exchange Street
Community Kitchen
Cooking Matters
Farming on Lexington Ave.
The big move
New social enterprise
Curbside Market debuts
The passing of an icon
New leadership
Kitchen expansion
Foodlink Career Fellowship
COVID-19 Response
Tom Ferraro's Legacy
FOUNDER, VISIONARY, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR
One of the nation’s first food bankers, Tom Ferraro understood that “no one woke up hungry on any given day without something else having gone wrong first.” His early commitment to addressing both the symptom and causes of food insecurity, and his belief that charity alone could not end hunger, helped evolve Foodlink from humble beginnings into one of the most innovative food banks in the nation.
Among his many accomplishments, Tom served on the board of Feeding America (then named Second Harvest) when it was created in 1979, he helped create a network of food banks across New York State, and advocated for funding for the launch of the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), which provides critical assistance for hunger-relief organizations across the state.
He was a trailblazer, a risk-taker, and a true social entrepreneur. His laughter, wisdom and spirit will be forever missed.
Wegmans partnership
Long-time community partners in the fight against hunger
Everywhere you turn at Foodlink, Wegmans’ impact is clear. From the thousands of banana boxes full of donated goods that line our distribution center, to various fundraising initiatives such as Festival of Food and Check Out Hunger, to the culinary apprentices that secure employment at their stores … a partnership cultivated for more than 45 years has flourished to impact our community in so many ways.
The relationship began with a conversation between Foodlink founder Tom Ferraro, Robert Wegman and Mary Ellen Burris. During our 40th year anniversary celebration, Burris said: “We hate waste at Wegmans, so when Tom Ferraro approached me decades ago to discuss the pick-up of non-perishable food at our stores, I didn’t hesitate. It was the right thing to do, and it helped make a real difference in the community.”
The dawn of a new partnership eventually yielded many more across Wegmans’ footprint — serving as a model for 45+ food banks across 7 states.
Wegmans does more than donate food (approximately 6 million pounds annually), of course. There has been significant financial investment in our Community Kitchen, customer-driven support through campaigns such as Check Out Hunger and Fill the Bus, representation on our board of directors, and countless volunteer hours donated by their staff in our distribution center … and so much more.
Thank you, Wegmans, for your unwavering support of our mission of ending hunger and building healthier communities.
