#MergerMondays: Food Services
In the food service sector, where rising food insecurity meets constrained resources, joining forces has helped organizations unlock greater scale, innovate service delivery, and serve more neighbors with dignity and care. These stories of strategic alignment reflect not only operational efficiency, but also a shared commitment to nourishing communities when they need it most. Today, we’re sharing updates from organizations that continue to build on their impact after merging.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Loaves & Fishes and Friendship Trays merged in 2021 to form Nourish Up, combining decades of food pantry distribution and meal delivery expertise into one unified nonprofit focused on combating hunger across Mecklenburg County. Today, Nourish Up serves roughly 164,000 people annually through its network of food pantries and low-cost meal delivery services — a critical presence given USDA estimates that more than 47 million Americans face food insecurity. Since the merger, the organization has strategically invested in a new 90,000-square-foot “Hunger Hub” facility. With expanded cold storage, a commercial kitchen capable of producing 2,500 medically tailored meals daily, and plans to reach about 200,000 neighbors annually, Nourish Up’s integrated model embodies how merged resources can boost scale and innovation.
Out in Idaho’s Treasure Valley, City of Good and Creating Common Good completed their merger in March 2025, bringing together a food distribution mission with a workforce development focus to create a broader support ecosystem for people facing food insecurity and employment barriers. By uniting these complementary efforts under one nonprofit umbrella, the merged organization aims to enhance program continuity and streamline services — enabling clients not only to access nourishing meals but also to build job skills and pathways to economic stability. Staff and administrative functions are now shared, allowing a unified team to operate with improved efficiency and focus.
Both of these mergers showcase how intentional alignment can achieve impact that exceeds the sum of individual parts: from tens of thousands of meals delivered monthly to innovative facilities that offer food with dignity, employment support, and a community hub for resources. In a time when hunger and economic insecurity remain pressing challenges, these combined efforts deserve celebration. Nonprofits are not only feeding bodies; they are nourishing hope.
To keep up with each organization’s impact, read more here:
City of Good: https://www.createcommongood.org/
