Our Journey: From Adversity to Empowerment
“U.S. businesses, farms and consumers spend an estimated $218 billion a year growing, processing, transporting and disposing food that is never eaten.”
Kaizen is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to addressing food insecurity and promoting equitable food access.
Founder Thai Nguyen brings a perspective shaped by personal experiences with adversity and resilience, including the aftermath of the Vietnam War and youth homelessness. These experiences have informed a deep commitment to community service.
With over two decades of professional experience across various fields, Thai's focus is on food justice and addressing food apartheid. Under her leadership, Kaizen Food Rescue and its team have distributed over 17.5 million pounds of fresh food, supporting hundreds of thousands of families across 100 zip codes. This effort reflects the organization’s commitment to improving food access and community well-being.