La Soupe and Last Mile Food Rescue Team Up for a Smarter Food Rescue System

by Emmy Schroder, Executive Director

La Soupe was built on a belief that rescued food, thoughtfully transformed and shared, has the power to nourish people and strengthen communities. Over more than a decade, we have grown into one of the region’s leading food rescue organizations, moving millions of pounds of food each year from donors to our kitchen and out into Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. We are always asking how to do this better, and that question has led us to an exciting next step.

We are thrilled to announce a new initiative with Last Mile Food Rescue (LMFR) this fall, made possible by a grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation’s Better Together Fund.

A PARTNERSHIP YEARS IN THE MAKING

For years, La Soupe and LMFR have worked side by side, moving food between our networks to make the greatest impact across the region. LMFR is already one of our most active rescue partners, coordinating daily with our teams and delivering food directly to our kitchen. In 2025, they delivered 263 rescue runs to us, moving over 152,000 lbs of food to La Soupe.

In 2025, LMFR coordinated 23,583 rescue runs, moved 5.74 million pounds of food, and supported 170 recipient organizations through a network of 600+ food donors. The more we have worked alongside them, the more we have seen an opportunity to combine our strengths in new ways.

GROWING SMARTER: EXPANDING WHAT WE DO BEST

At the heart of everything La Soupe does is culinary transformation: our kitchen, our chefs, our education programs, and the community connections that make our work possible. This collaboration is rooted in a simple idea: by partnering with an organization that specializes in on-the-road logistics, we free up time and energy to double down on what we do best.

La Soupe brings culinary transformation and community programming. LMFR brings deep operational expertise in rescue coordination. Both organizations bring strong networks of food donors and rescue partners, and those relationships remain rooted with each organization. Together, we believe we can do more, getting the right food, to the right places efficiently, for the greatest impact.

ABOUT THE COLLABORATION

This summer, LMFR will spend several months learning our operation from the inside, getting to know the donors, routes, and rhythms that make our rescue network run. Beginning in October, the active pilot launches: our rescue runs continue exactly as they are today, but a portion of our volunteers will be invited to coordinate their deliveries through LMFR’s platform. The pilot runs through the end of the year, and if the results reflect what we expect, both organizations are ready to expand the partnership. We are going in with curiosity, rigor, and high expectations.

A NOTE FOR OUR FOOD RESCUE PARTNERS

Our relationships with food donors and rescue partners stay exactly where they are, with La Soupe. Whether you're a current partner or interested in joining our network, we're still your direct point of contact for all food sourcing and scheduling. LMFR works behind the scenes on logistics so the food you share gets where it needs to go.

A THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

None of this is possible without you, the thousands of volunteers who give your time, your vehicles, and your hearts to rescue food across our region. Every run, every pickup, every mile driven is an act of generosity that we do not take for granted. Volunteer-led rescue runs that power our mission are not going away. Your dedication is the backbone of what we do, and always will be.

LMFR brings exceptional expertise to the volunteer experience, and we are excited for our community of drivers and rescuers to benefit from that through this pilot. We still need you, and hope you will continue to drive with us through the pilot and well beyond.

A VISION FOR THE REGION

We believe this collaboration is bigger than either of our organizations. Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have the potential to become a national model for coordinated food rescue, a region where nonprofits multiply their impact by building on each other’s strengths. We are grateful to the Greater Cincinnati Foundation for believing in what we can accomplish together, and to the entire LMFR team for their partnership, professionalism, and shared commitment to this region. We can’t wait to show you what is possible.