At Shipt, we aspire to a future where fresh, nutritious food is accessible – regardless of zip code. 

This is the ethos of Shipt’s community work year-round, during this Hunger Action Month, and what drives – literally – a visionary partnership between Shipt and 2023 Community Grant recipient, Appetite for Change. 

Based in North Minneapolis, Appetite for Change is a nonprofit that uses food as a tool to build health, wealth, and social change. Using their unique model of employing and training local youth ages 14-18, AFC has been a leader in the community to grow food, leaders, and one another. 

At Shipt, we knew that if we leveraged our expertise in the last-mile delivery space and the network of shoppers and drivers who work on our platform, we could support Appetite for Change beyond just the grant. 

That’s why in June 2025, Shipt and Appetite for Change began partnering to expand AFC’s existing Community Cooks Meal Box program by leveraging Shipt’s network of shoppers and drivers to deliver those meal boxes to 140 families each week. By the end of the pilot in December 2025, Shipt and Appetite for Change will have delivered over 40,000. 

"When we talk about aspiring towards a future with food access for all, regardless of zip code, it requires us to take a deeper look at what's happening across each unique zip code," said Khadijah Abdullah, VP of Culture and Community at Shipt. "In some cases, it's not about there not being enough food – the challenge is accessing it. This program represents how Shipt can transform our core strengths in logistics and human connection into a powerful tool for tackling hunger at its roots."

One of the pieces that makes this pilot so special is that shoppers and drivers on the Shipt platform are able to play a direct role in helping support their local community, and earn while doing it. The flexibility, paired with the opportunity to give back, seems to be an inspiring combination. 

“I really enjoy giving back to the community that I deliver in and live in,” said Minneapolis-based Shopper Thomas Toley. “The community has poured so much into me. This is the community that I grew up in…this is a way I can live my life in a way I need to, while also being able to give back and support my community.” 

Beyond providing food to families in need, the program also helps support the broader Minneapolis community and workforce. Appetite for Change’s Youth Training and Opportunities Program, goes deeper into expanding their potential to create a strong and authentic future for the Youth and their communities. The youth earn $15.95 per hour to participate. 

“Those meal boxes aren’t just meal boxes,” said Appetite for Change Senior Engagement Officer and Co-founder Princess Titus. “Families get locally grown produce, harvested by young people who are being employed and learning a skill.”    

The meal boxes are filled with farm-fresh produce, culturally relevant food and spices, and recipe cards that can inspire a family to cook something new, or even attend one of AFC’s Community Cooks programs. Each box provides a family of five with 2-3 meals, and the pilot is planned to deliver 42,000 meals by December 2025. 

Driving Change In Minneapolis and Across America

As a technology company that powers grocery delivery across the country, Shipt believes that our platform is uniquely positioned to help reduce barriers to food access. We know that community leaders on the ground, like Appetite for Change, best understand the needs of their neighbors, which is why our grants invest directly into community-driven solutions. 

Over the past four years, Shipt has awarded more than 80 Community Impact & Innovation Grants, totaling nearly $1.3 million to date. Across the country, Shipt’s grants have helped supply more than 2.8 million meals and served more than 520,000 food-insecure individuals. Shipt also drives change through its LadderUp™ accelerator program, which provides marketplace education, mentorship and financial support for fresh food organizations. 

See more of Shipt’s community impact work at www.shipt.com/community. 

About Appetite for Change

Appetite For Change was founded in 2011 by Tasha Powell, Princess Titus, and Michelle Horovitz. Their commitment to the Northside community in Minneapolis and their profound belief in the power of community-led solutions brought them together. 

Appetite for Change operates its programs on the basis of a commitment to food justice, and is dedicated to developing a thriving community in North Minneapolis that offers family wage employment, career opportunities, access to fresh, local food, and social and economic growth. Appetite for Change implements this development through a comprehensive variety of direct service and advocacy-focused programming, including community cooking workshops, urban agriculture, organized food policy efforts, and job training.