IN THIS POST
Farming Hope is a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization that empowers individuals facing significant barriers to employment — such as former incarceration or homelessness — through culinary training and food sustainability efforts.
The organization offers a 12-week, part-time, paid apprenticeship program that provides intensive culinary training and hands-on experience in food rescue and community meal preparation, equipping apprentices with the skills and confidence needed to transition into stable employment.
Farming Hope combats food insecurity by partnering with community organizations to provide culturally relevant meals for families experiencing food insecurity. The Food Recovery initiative sources surplus produce from local farmers and suppliers, thus diverting food from landfills and repurposing it into nutritious meals.
At the heart of these efforts is Refettorio San Francisco, an anchor kitchen where apprentices cook and train daily and provide in-house dinners to families twice per week.
How Farming Hope Grew Strategically through CA RISE
The CA RISE program provided funding, capacity building, and new connections — equipping Farming Hope with the knowledge and tools needed to identify new opportunities for growth, strengthen internal operations, and advance programming for employees. CA RISE helped Farming Hope to:
Invest in Trainees and Strengthened Workforce Pathways
Farming Hope invested in employees by increasing wages, establishing new employer partnerships, and laying the foundation for long-term relationships with alumni trainees by providing ongoing mentorship, career-development resources, and networking opportunities to ensure graduates achieve long-term career stability.
Increased staffing capacity from 41 to 45 part-time employees
Increased compensation for employees with barriers from $391,281 to $482,000.
Strengthen relationships with local employers to connect apprentices with stable, well-paying jobs.
Expand alumni support, deepening the impact of the apprenticeship program.
Established Strong Public-Sector Partnerships
Farming Hope strengthened its internal capacity around public-sector funding and compliance by identifying and pursuing new funding opportunities, developing streamlined processes for grant and RFP responses, and implementing systems to track required metrics.
Unlocked $3.27 million in public-sector funding.
Signed four new multi-year public-sector contracts to provide supports such as an in-house meal service, food recovery, and hospitality job training.
Strengthened Internal Operations and Scaled the Business
Farming Hope developed new business lines and scaled the business, resulting in an increase in earned revenue.
Launched new business lines by adding copacking and commissary services.
Increased revenue from $1,141,595 to $1,320,000.
Hired a program director to bolster capacity, streamline operations, and ensure sustainable growth.
Expanded the marketing and reach of the Community Meals program to secure more contracts, generate increased revenue, and provide more meals to food-insecure communities.
149,884
meals provided to food-insecure San Francisco residents in 2024
41
apprentices trained in 2024
85%
graduation rate for Farming Hope apprentices
Why Farming Hope’s Success Matters
Farming Hope’s model transforms lives through workforce training while strengthening the local economy, reducing food waste, increasing community resilience, and providing vital nourishment to food-insecure communities — offering a cost-effective and impactful way to address multiple social needs.Â
Provides career training and an on-ramp to employment for individuals with barriers
The apprenticeship program achieves an 85% graduation rate. In 2024, the organization trained 41 apprentices.
Builds secure pipelines to employment
Within 90 days of graduation, 71% of apprentices secure jobs in the food industry, helping to break cycles of poverty and unemployment.
Reduces food waste and promotes sustainability
In 2024, Farming Hope diverted 36,428 pounds of food from landfills.
Directly addresses food insecurity
Last year, 149,884 meals were provided to San Francisco families experiencing food insecurity.
Strengthens the local workforce and economy
Graduates enter the food sector with industry-recognized skills. The meals provided allow families to redirect resources toward housing, education, and financial stability — creating lasting economic impact.
Thanks to CA RISE, we were able to hire an additional staff person, train more employees on trauma informed approaches, and start a new business line! Being a part of a group of ESE leaders who face similar challenges and truly understand the collective work we're trying to accomplish is invaluable.
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