In 2001, Foodlink established the Foodlink Kitchen and began serving hot, nutritious prepared meals. By the summer of 2003, its operations had grown to serve over 1,100 lunches and 500 breakfasts per day to children in need. Freshwise Catering, formally known as the Foodlink Kitchen, is expanding its nutrition and wellness services - partnering with organizations and schools that are committed to healthy living. In addition to our Child Nutrition services, Freshwise offers a unique catering menu for special events.

Our staff, comprised of an energetic team with a focus to provide children with a consistent nutritious meal that fosters healthy living and learning. We pride ourselves on serving fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which come from Freshlink Farms, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foodlink that only produces the highest quality pesticide-free hydroponic greens.

The mission of the Freshwise Catering is to raise the bar on institutional meals for kids by providing the best nutritional menu.  We prepare foods that are low in sodium and low in fat because nutritious school meals are vital to the future health of America's youth.  

By choosing the Freshwise Catering as your food service provider your organization demonstrates its values to an holistic approach to learning and health.  Included in our food service family of recipients are the following:

• Charter or Independent Schools
• After-School Kids Cafe Programs
• USDA Summer Meal Sites
• Day Care Centers
• Community Centers
• Private parties
• Galas and Fundraisers

We continue to cook up culturally sensitive and ethnically diverse meals that exceed the rigorous nutrition requirements for child nutrition programs at our schools, Kids Cafes, and Summer Meals programs.

The kitchen is available to cater events serving 20 to 500 people.   Check out some of our menu items:

• Chipotle Portobello Wrap
• Maple Glazed Salmon
• Mango Chutney Glazed Boneless Chicken
• Sweet Potato Salad
• Grilled Tuna Steak
• Tamales
• Pastries, Cookies, Mousse
• Apple Bread Pudding

Visit our website at www.freshwise.org or Call us at: (585) 254-4423 or Email us

Kids Cafe is a national program that aims at fighting childhood hunger and the consequences of going hungry.

Poor nutrition can:

• Create behavior problems
• Shorten attention spans
• Contribute to poor academic achievement
• Lower energy levels
• Increase incidents of high blood pressure
• Aid in early onset of Type II Diabetes
• Contribute to overweight and obesity

Foodlink currently sponsors 33 Kids Cafe sites throughout the Greater Rochester area and surrounding counties. Kids Cafe works to lessen the impact of hunger by offering children after school homework help, nutritional education, and a hot nutritious supper from a menu that relies on fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which come from Foodlink's own Freshlink Farms. 

Sites located in community centers and churches are open to all children daily and on Saturdays in some locations.  Children who take part in their after-school programs with Kids Cafe sites will also receive a free meal.  Our Kids Cafe sites will provide over 200,000 meals in a supportive, nurturing environment this school year.  Read More...

Through the sponsorship of Wegmans Food Markets ten of our Kids Cafe sites can further their commitment to the community.  We are grateful for our partnership with Wegmans and their commitment to feeding children better.

The Kids Cafe program is volunteer driven – Please call our Volunteer Coordinator at (585)328-3380 ext. 149 or Email us to schedule a time to come in to volunteer, or to find out more about different opportunities.

To view a listing of all the Kids Cafe Sites, click here.

Click here for the October Kids Cafe newsletter.

To view the Kids Cafe brochure, click here.

The Summer Meals program is used during the summer months to meet the nutritional needs of children who usually receive free/reduced breakfast and lunch during the school year. Astonishingly, 73% of the children in our client base qualify for free/reduced breakfast and lunch programs.  Many of these children face a major nutritional loss during the summer months because their parents cannot regularly afford nutritious food, and only 18% of children take advantage of the Summer Meals program.

During the 2002 summer, Foodlink’s Community Kitchen sponsored the summer meals program and prepared enough food to feed approximately 400 children five days a week at five Summer Meals sites located in the urban and suburban areas of Rochester.

These sites include, Community Lutheran Ministries on Joseph Avenue, English Village Apartments in Greece, Pines of Perinton Apartments in Perinton, United Methodist Church on Dewey Avenue and Anthony Square of W. Main Street.

Mass Distributions are supplemental distributions that are an offshoot of the Commodities Distributions that began decades ago. Households earning up to 185% of the Federal Poverty level qualify to receive food packages of up to 30 pounds per household.

Mass Distributions can be held 4-6 times per year, and are designed to serve any size group that you feel your organization can accommodate. Foodlink focuses its efforts on low-income housing and senior centers.

The Foodlink Fulfillment Center supports Upstate economic development and job creation by acting as an important link between local farmers and local markets. In the past, after delivering food to non-profits in the 10-county area, Foodlink trucks returned to Rochester empty. Through the Fulfillment Center, these trucks are now available to local growers struggling with the logistical barriers to bringing their high quality, fresh produce to market. The Fulfillment Center also helps participating growers by serving as an ordering and central distribution point with our food warehousing infrastructure, USDA-certified repackaging facility and computerized inventory system. Once the product is at the Foodlink warehouse, it can either be delivered directly to regional retailers or combined with other growers for larger delivery to New York City and beyond.

Click Here for the Fulfillment Center Map.

Click Here for the Fulfillment Center Website

Foodlink sponsors a local Farmers Market in an effort to increase healthy food consumption at an affordable price. The time and location for the Foodlink Farmer's Market is the following:

• Dates: Wednesdays from June 21 to Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to 2p.m.
• Location: Washington Square Park at the corner of Broad St. and S. Clinton in downtown Rochester

The Farmers Market program supplies the community with fresh, affordable produce while promoting local farmers. There will be NYS, local fruits & vegetables, with some being organic; pesticide-free greens from FreshLink Farms; honey, flowers, some baked goods & other treats. In 2001, this market was the second market in the nation to be a pilot program to use the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) machine or electronic food stamps, helping more low-income residents be able to afford healthy fruits and vegetables.

For more information call: (585) 328-3380, ext. 154.

The Community Garden partners with community residents and programs to enhance understanding of urban gardens and nutrition education. Throughout the summer months Foodlink and the community focus efforts on growing a variety of healthy fruits and vegetables. Foodlink’s Community Garden is located on the corner of Exchange and Flint Streets.