Everytable, the Los Angeles-based social enterprise seeking to end food inequality, will dramatically expand its Pay It Forward program this holiday season with the goal of providing 5,000 meals to those fighting hunger and food insecurity in Los Angeles’ most deserving communities. Founded in 2016, Everytable is disrupting and transforming America’s broken food system to make healthy and nutritious food affordable for everyone through a combination of grab-and-go storefronts, meal subscriptions and SmartFridge installations.
To help promote food equality for all, Everytable prices its meals according to the neighborhood. In underserved communities such as South Los Angeles, Watts and Compton, Everytable’s nutritionally sound meals are often priced lower than the ubiquitous fast food brands found in those food deserts. Yet, because many people still can’t afford these low-priced meals in those communities, Everytable created a unique Pay It Forward program, where paying guests can simply purchase another meal (or multiple meals) then post a happy or inspiring note on the Pay It Forward Wall found in each storefront. Anyone who can’t afford to pay for a meal presents one of these notes at checkout. From November 18 through the end of the year, Everytable will match up to 2,500 of these Pay It Forward meals.
“While most Angelenos are busy planning their holiday meals, tens of thousands of people in Los Angeles are experiencing homelessness and hunger every day,” said Sam Polk, co-founder and CEO, Everytable. “At Everytable, we believe that healthy food is a human right, not a luxury and we want to ensure that ALL Los Angelenos can afford and enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal. While we aim to provide 5,000 free meals during the next few months, we also hope that our Holiday Pay It Forward initiative might inspire others to fight for food justice in their communities all year long.”
The Pay It Forward program includes all made-from-scratch meals on the Everytable menu, including a variety of healthy salads, bowls, soups and snacks, as well as a limited-edition, seasonal Turkey Harvest Bowl with Roasted Free-Range Turkey, Garlic Green Beans, Wild Rice Stuffing, Sweet Potato Puree, Thyme Roasted Squash, Cranberry Sauce, and Gravy.
