2024-08-22T09:43:22-05:00 2023-12-31 351178661 BLUE & CO LLC 250 WEST MAIN STREET SUITE 2900 LEXINGTON KY 40507 990 2023-01-01 454088193 FOODCHAIN INC FOOD 8592704222 501 W SIXTH ST SUITE 105 LEXINGTON KY 40508 JAMES MASTIN DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 8592704222 2024-08-21 1 1 M MELINDA KARNS P00743346 8592531100 2024-08-21 2023 2024-08-08 14:25:15Z JAMES MASTIN 501 W SIXTH ST SUITE 105 LEXINGTON KY 40508 1435195 0 X FOODCHAINLEX.ORG X 2011 KY PROVIDED EDUCATION AND DEMONSTRATION FOR NEW FOOD SYSTEM. 12 12 21 1266 0 0 1069920 1309905 42882 26758 4 13637 84203 135 1197009 1350435 0 0 0 0 507909 517231 0 0 48064 633587 1033008 1141496 1550239 55513 -199804 1082898 875797 7296 0 1075602 875797 X FOODCHAIN IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF AN URBAN FOOD DESERT, WHICH CONSTITUTES A LOW-INCOME CENSUS TRACT THAT IS FURTHER THAN 1 MILE FROM A GROCERY STORE, WHERE RESIDENTS STRUGGLE WITH BOTH ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS, WHOLESOME INGREDIENTS AS WELL AS THE FOOD LITERACY THAT ACCOMPANIES A DIET HIGH IN THESE COMPONENTS. AS A CONSEQUENCE, FOODCHAIN AIMS TO FORGE LINKS BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND FRESH FOOD WITH EDUCATION AND DEMONSTRATION OF WAYS IN WHICH FRESH FOOD CAN BE GROWN, ACQUIRED, AND/OR PREPARED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OUTCOMES OF THIS HIGH-RISK POPULATION, ENCOURAGING A MORE ROBUST LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY, AND RESULTING IN A MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITY. OUR MODEL, WHICH WE BELIEVE IS REPLICABLE IN COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, COMBINES UNIQUE OPERATIONS, INLUDING AN INDOOR AQUAPONICS FARM AND A TEACHING AND PROCESSING KICHEN. 0 0 1341889 31907 MANY OF FOODCHAIN'S NEIGHBORS RELY ON DOLLAR STORES AND CONVENIENCE MARTS FOR THEIR WEEKLY SHOPPING, WITH LIMITED FUNDS AND TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO GET TO HIGHER QUALITY STORES WITH A GREATER ABUNDANCE OF NUTRITIOUS WHOLE INGREDIENTS. FURTHERMORE, WITH THE RELIANCE ON SNAP DOLLARS AND OTHER FEDERAL FOOD BENEFIT PROGRAMS, THE COMMUNITY HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DEPENDENT ON HIGHLY-PROCESSED, SHELF-STABLE "JUNK" FOOD FOR THEIR DAILY MEALS, RESULTING IN GENERATIONAL DIET-RELATED ILLNESSES, INCLUDING HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, AND MORE. WHILE THIS HUNGER-OBESITY PARADOX IS IN PART A RESULT OF LIMITED FOOD ACCESS, IT HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY A DECLINE IN FOOD LITERACY, WHERE FAMILIES NO LONGER HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, EQUIPMENT, AND FAMILIARITY TO PREPARE MEALS FROM FRESH INGREDIENTS. FOODCHAIN AIMS TO ADDRESS THIS DEFICIENCY BY OFFERING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO TEACH COOKING SKILLS, EXPOSING FAMILIES TO A WIDER ARRAY OF CUISINES AND FLAVOR PROFILES, INSPIRING MORE ADVENTUROUS EATING AND KITCHEN CONFIDENCE. WITH THIS MINDSET, WE LAUNCHED NOURISH LEXINGTON AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC TO PROVIDE SCRATCH-MADE NUTRITIOUS MEALS FOR FREE TO FOOD INSECURE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, ALL WHILE INVESTING RESOURCES INTO OUR LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY THROUGH THE PRIORITIZATION OF LOCALLY FARMED INGREDIENTS, MADE BY AND DISTRIBUTED BY AREA PROFESSIONALS AAND BUSINESSES. OVERTIME, THIS FOOD ACCESS AND FLUENCY PROGRAM WILL CULTIVATE MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT HOUSEHOLDS, AS FOOD INDEPENDENCE LEADS TO GREATER WELFARE AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF A COMMUNITY. 5386 IN MANY URBAN COMMUNITIES LIKE OUR OWN, THERE ARE BOTH HIGH RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNFILLED JOBS IN THE LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY. THEREFORE, FOODCHAIN AIMS TO BRIDGE THESE GAPS BY INFORMING RESIDENTS ABOUT JOB PROSPECTS, TRAINING THEM WITH THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE FOR WORKING IN KITCHENS AND FOOD FACILITIES, AND EVEN ENCOURAGING THEM TO EMBARK ON ENTERPRISES OF THEIR OWN, BY GROWING OR FOUNDING FOOD BUSINESSES TO FILL THE VOIDS IN THE MARKETPLACE. TO DO THIS MOST EFFECTIVELY, WE'VE SOLIDIFIED DOZENS OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ENTITIES, RANGING FROM SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO HELP REFER CLIENTS TO OUR SERVICES AND IDENTIFY NEEDS, ALL THE WAY TO CELEBRATED CHEFS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR MORE CONFIDENT, PREPARED, AND ENABLED WORKFORCE. BECAUSE OF THESE RICH PARTNERSHIPS, WE WERE WELL-PREPARED AT THE ONSET OF COVID-19 IN 2020 TO PIVOT OUR OPERATIONS TO LINK TOGETHER THESE SAME RESOURCES IN A WAY TO BEST ENSURE FOOD INSECURE COMMUNITIES HAD ACCESS TO FRESHLY-MADE, WHOLESOME MEALS. 2697 WHILE ONE ANSWER TO THE LIMITED ACCESS OF OUR FRESH FOOD IS TO INCREASE ITS AVAILABILITY THROUGH RETAIL, FOODCHAIN BELIEVES IT IS EVEN MORE EMPOWERING TO START AT FOOD PRODUCTION. THEREFORE, WE OPERATE OUR INDOOR, STATE-OF-THE-ART AQUAPONICS SYSTEM, GROWING FISH AND GREENS YEAR-ROUND IN A RECIRCULATING SYSTEM THAT REDUCES WASTE AND CONSERVES RESOURCES, WHILE ALSO GENERATING THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FOOD THAT CAN BE USED FOR REVENUE GENERATION AND NUTRITIONAL ACCESS. BY RUNNING OUR FARM AS A DEMONSTRATION FACILITY, HOSTING TOURS AND WORKSHOPS FOR THOUSANDS, WE WORK TO GET INDIVIDUALS MORE INVOLVED IN GROWING WHOLESOME FOOD, UNDERSTANDING WHERE FOOD COMES FROM, AND HOW THESE TECHNIQUES COULD BE REPLICATED ELSEWHERE TO INCREASE AGRICULTURL PRODUCTIVITY WHILE SUBSEQUENTLY MAKING FRESH FOOD AVAILABLE ALL YEAR-ROUND FOR ALL. 1341889 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10 0 1 21 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 12 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 KY X JAMES MASTIN 8592704222 501 W SIXTH ST LEXINGTON KY 40508 RYAN FOSTER DIRECTOR & TREASURER 0.25 X 0 0 0 OUITA MICHEL DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 SHARON STONE DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 SHAWN BURNS DIRECTOR & CHAIRPERSON 0.25 X X 0 0 0 SHAWN BLADES DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 KA'SONDRA BROWN DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 REBECCA SELF DIRECTOR & SECRETARY 0.25 X 0 0 0 ERINN CONNESS DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 LINDSEY CLEM DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 AGNES MARERRO DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 BO MILBURN DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 SCOTT WINKLER DIRECTOR 0.25 X 0 0 0 KRISTIN HUGHES CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40.00 X 57473 0 0 LEANDRA FORMAN CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40.00 X 59227 0 0 116700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 124103 280080 905722 581897 1309905 COOKING CLASSES 900099 17130 17130 TOURS 900099 5136 5136 CLASSROM AQUAPONICS PR 900099 2697 2697 CATERING INCOME 722320 1200 1200 MEALS, KITS & MIXES 900099 345 345 250 250 26758 13637 13637 45901 124103 58998 -13097 -13097 30722 25762 4960 4960 REFUNDS 900099 6622 6622 KITCHEN RENTAL 900002 1650 1650 8272 1350435 39990 0 540 116700 87525 29175 344075 275260 27526 41289 14301 11441 1144 1716 42155 33724 3372 5059 26341 26341 3745 3745 3398 3398 8334 8334 17032 2044 14988 4961 4465 496 5525 5525 1995 1995 36505 36505 14922 14922 SUPPLIES 854176 854176 ADMINSTRATIVE EXPENSES 34996 34996 CONTRACTED EXPENSES 10256 10256 MISCELLANEOUS 8202 8202 2620 2437 183 1550239 1341889 160286 48064 897266 730218 14668 1400 538868 404409 170964 134459 9720 1082898 875797 7296 7296 0 X 1075602 875797 1075602 875797 1082898 875797 -199804 -1 0 X 0 0 0 X 366342 1181260 1077818 817115 603905 4046440 366342 1181260 1077818 817115 603905 4046440 4046440 285 52 4 4 13637 13982 4060422 0.99660 0.99990 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 229327 102554 126773 276691 274682 2009 32850 27173 5677 134459 FEAST 170004 124103 45901 58998 170004 124103 45901 58998 58998 -13097 X 112000 581897 FAIR MARKET VALUE 0 0 0 PART I, COLUMN (B): POUNDS OF FOOD DONATED. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B THE FORM 990 IS REVIEWED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRIOR TO FILING. ANY COMMENTS/QUESTIONS ARE ADDRESSED AND THE RETURN IS FILED AFTER RESOLUTION. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 THE ORGANIZATION MAKES ITS GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AND FINANCIALS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST.