Question 1

What is Food Finder?

Accepted Answer

Food Finder is a hyper-local platform built around one simple idea:   good food shouldn't end up in the trash when a neighbor could use it.   We connect  Sharers  (people with extra unopened, unexpired food) with   Finders  (people who can put it to use). We're not a charity, food bank, grocery store, or delivery service. We're a place to meet — the actual handoff happens between neighbors.

Question 2

Why does Food Finder exist?

Accepted Answer

Roughly  1.1 billion tons of food are wasted globally every year  while millions of households a few blocks away stretch every grocery dollar. That's a global problem, but it's solved one block at a time. Food Finder gives the loaf you won't finish, the produce from your garden, the kids' lunch-box rejects, and the fridge you're emptying before a trip a place to go that isn't the trash can.

Question 3

Who runs Food Finder?

Accepted Answer

Food Finder is run by a small group of community-conscious individuals who care deeply about the planet, food waste, and food insecurity. We built Food Finder to tackle these root, fundamental problems faced globally — starting at the most local level possible: the block you live on.   We're not investors chasing a trend and we're not a nonprofit asking for donations. We're neighbors, parents, travelers, hosts, and home cooks who got tired of watching perfectly good, unopened food hit the trash while families a few streets over were stretching every grocery dollar. Food Finder is our answer: a simple, hyper-local platform that connects the two sides directly, with no middleman touching the food.   Operationally, Food Finder is a Florida LLC, formed and operating out of Florida. It is funded entirely by member subscriptions — never by ads, data sales, or markups on food. Every dollar goes to keeping the platform safe, simple, and running for the community it serves.

Question 4

Is Food Finder a charity or food bank?

Accepted Answer

No. We're explicitly  not  a charity, food bank, food rescue org, or delivery service. If you need emergency food assistance, please contact your local food bank or 211. Food Finder is a subscription-based community platform; nothing here is guaranteed.

Question 5

Does Food Finder inspect, deliver, or guarantee any food?

Accepted Answer

No. We never touch the food. We don't inspect, deliver, store, package, or guarantee anything. Use of the platform is at your own risk — see our   Disclaimer  and   Terms .

Question 6

Where does Food Finder operate?

Accepted Answer

Anywhere a Sharer is willing to post and a Finder is willing to drive. The model is hyper-local — your neighbors are who you'll be meeting.

Question 7

What if there's no food in my area when I look?

Accepted Answer

Honest answer: at the start, there might not be. Food Finder is a community platform, not a store — listings only exist when a neighbor near you happens to have extra unopened, unexpired food to share. Early in a neighborhood, that supply is thin until enough Sharers join.   That's why we ask people to come in as  builders, not browsers . The fastest way to make your area active is to start sharing whatever you would have tossed this week — the loaf of bread, the extra produce, the unopened pantry items from a trip — and to tell one or two neighbors. When food does become available, it's usually only listed for a  limited time  on a   first-come, first-served  basis. Widen your search radius, check back often, and enable notifications so you're alerted the moment a new listing goes live nearby.

Question 8

Is there a free trial?

Accepted Answer

No. A hyper-local network only works when neighbors join with intent. Subscriptions start at a few dollars a month, and you can cancel anytime in one click from   Billing .

Question 9

How old do I have to be to use Food Finder?

Accepted Answer

You must be at least 13 years old. Anyone under 18 must have parental consent before signing up or using the platform.

Question 10

Who is a typical Sharer?

Accepted Answer

Anyone with extra food they don't want to throw away. Common examples: People leaving on a trip with a full fridge or pantry of sealed groceries Hosts of parties, weddings, or work events with extra  unopened  packaged items Families moving and emptying the kitchen of sealed pantry goods Gardeners with too much fresh produce they grew themselves Subscribers to meal-kit or grocery boxes that don't fit the week (sealed components only) Small grocers or markets with surplus packaged goods

Question 11

What can I share?

Accepted Answer

Only food that meets  both  rules: Unopened.  Sealed packages, factory-sealed produce bags, unopened jars and bottles in their original commercial packaging. Not expired.  On or before the printed expiration / best-by date. The only exception is  fresh produce you grew yourself  (garden vegetables, fruit, herbs) — describe it accurately.

Question 12

What can I NOT share?

Accepted Answer

Food Finder is strictly for sealed, in-date groceries. The following are  never allowed : Any home-cooked, prepared, baked, canned, jarred, or reheated food  — no soups, casseroles, baked goods, sauces, jams, or "cottage food" items, even if sealed Leftovers of any kind , including from parties, restaurants, or your own kitchen Anything opened, partially used, or repackaged Anything past its expiration / best-by date Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, supplements, breast milk, infant formula past date, or anything regulated Items that require refrigeration but have been left out Anything you wouldn't comfortably eat yourself today Food Finder is not a meal-sharing, cottage-food, or home-kitchen platform. If you cooked it, baked it, jarred it, or made it — please do not list it.

Question 13

Do I make money by sharing food?

Accepted Answer

No.  Sharers do not earn money. Food Finder is not a marketplace and does not facilitate sales of food. Members do not pay each other. Any platform fee covers running the site — it does not go to Sharers.

Question 14

Is my address visible to everyone?

Accepted Answer

No — and you're in control. By default your address is  private . In your   Account settings  you decide: Whether to allow Finders to message you at all Whether to show your address on your profile Whether to show your phone number Even with everything off, you can still share pickup details inside a private message after you've had a conversation with a specific Finder.

Question 15

What if a Finder doesn't show up?

Accepted Answer

It happens. You can simply mark the listing available again, or remove it. There's no penalty system — this is a community, not a contract.

Question 16

Can I take a listing down?

Accepted Answer

Yes, anytime. Open the listing and remove it. Existing conversations stay so you can let interested Finders know.

Question 17

Do I have to interact with strangers at my home?

Accepted Answer

Only if you want to. You can pick a neutral pickup spot like a porch, parking lot, park, or coffee shop. The platform doesn't require home pickup.

Question 18

Who is a typical Finder?

Accepted Answer

Anyone who can use extra food. Common examples: College students stretching a budget Families looking to spend less on groceries Anyone who hates seeing good food go to waste People who cook for groups or shared houses Folks between paychecks Neighbors who just like being part of a community You don't have to qualify, prove income, or explain yourself. If a Sharer offers it and you want it, that's enough.

Question 19

Is the food free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sharers do not charge for food. Food Finder doesn't process any payment between you and the Sharer — the only thing you pay is the platform subscription, if applicable.

Question 20

How do I claim something?

Accepted Answer

Open the listing, tap  Message Sharer , and start a conversation. Coordinate a pickup window that works for both of you. Be respectful of the Sharer's time and space.

Question 21

What if I get there and the food isn't as described?

Accepted Answer

You can decline it on the spot — no obligation. Then   flag it to us   so we can review the Sharer's account.

Question 22

Can I message multiple Sharers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each conversation is private and tied to a specific listing.

Question 23

What happens if a Sharer stops responding?

Accepted Answer

Move on. Most Sharers reply quickly, but no one is obligated to. Try another listing.

Question 24

Where do conversations happen?

Accepted Answer

All communication starts on Food Finder under /messages. We never route messages through email, SMS, or phone calls.

Question 25

Does Food Finder read my messages?

Accepted Answer

We don't actively read or screen messages. They are stored so you and the other party can see your history. If a message is reported as a violation, an admin may review it.

Question 26

Can I share my phone number or address in a message?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You decide what to share and with whom. Food Finder does not strip or block contact information — that's between you and the other person. Don't share more than you're comfortable with.

Question 27

Can I block someone?

Accepted Answer

If a user is harassing you, report them and we'll review. Sharers can also pause all incoming messages from their Account settings.

Question 28

What happens if I turn off 'Allow Finders to message me'?

Accepted Answer

New Finders can no longer start a conversation with you. Existing threads remain visible to you.

Question 29

Is the food safe?

Accepted Answer

Food Finder does not and cannot guarantee food safety. Every Sharer agrees to share only   unopened, unexpired  food, but you alone are responsible for inspecting anything you accept and deciding whether to consume it. If anything looks, smells, or feels off, don't eat it.

Question 30

What about allergies?

Accepted Answer

Always read packaging and ask the Sharer about cross-contact. Food Finder doesn't verify ingredients.

Question 31

Where should I meet?

Accepted Answer

Choose what feels right. Many neighbors do porch pickups; others prefer public spots like coffee shops or grocery store parking lots. See our   Trust & Safety  page for more.

Question 32

What should I do if I feel unsafe?

Accepted Answer

Trust your instincts and walk away. Then report the user. If there is an immediate safety concern, contact local emergency services.

Question 33

Why isn't there a map showing Sharers and Finders?

Accepted Answer

On purpose. A live map of who has food at home — or who's looking for it — is a privacy and safety risk we're not willing to take. Instead, both Sharers and Finders enter their own location and choose how far they're willing to go. We match the two values privately on the server: a listing only appears for a Finder when   both sides agree on the distance . No pins, no addresses, no public map of your kitchen. You stay in control of when and where the actual handoff happens.

Question 34

So how do you connect neighbors without a map?

Accepted Answer

Each person sets a home location and a travel radius in their account. When you browse, you see listings sorted by distance — but only ones inside both your radius and the Sharer's. Exact addresses are never shared until you and the other person agree to a handoff in messages. It's geolocation without the surveillance.

Question 35

How does mutual radius matching work? (with examples)

Accepted Answer

Both sides set a travel radius in their account. A listing only shows up when   both the Finder's radius AND the Sharer's radius reach across the distance between you . If either side says "too far," it's hidden — no exceptions. Example 1 — Match ✅ You (Finder) live in zip 90210, radius set to  5 miles . Sharer lives 3 miles away, their radius is  10 miles . 3 ≤ 5 and 3 ≤ 10 → listing appears, labeled "3.0 mi away." Example 2 — Hidden because YOU set it too tight ❌ You (Finder) radius:  2 miles . Sharer is 4 miles away, their radius is  15 miles . 4 > 2 → hidden. Widen your radius in Account to see it. Example 3 — Hidden because the SHARER set it too tight ❌ You (Finder) radius:  25 miles . Sharer is 12 miles away, their radius is  5 miles . 12 > 5 → hidden. The Sharer doesn't want anyone driving that far for a jar of sauce. Results are then  sorted closest-first , so the listing 0.4 mi away shows above the one 4.8 mi away. Distances under 0.1 mi just display as "<0.1 mi." Set your radius in  Account → Location & distance .

Question 36

Why does Food Finder charge a subscription fee — isn't this supposed to be free food?

Accepted Answer

The food itself is always free between members — no money, tips, or gratuities ever change hands for food. The subscription fee is what keeps the platform running and, just as importantly, what keeps the community safer.   A few reasons we charge every member: It funds the platform directly.  No ads, no data sales, no markups on food — subscriptions are our only revenue, so our incentives stay aligned with members instead of advertisers. It adds a layer of accountability.  Requiring a valid credit card at sign-up legitimizes a user, to a degree. It's a small but real friction that makes throwaway, anonymous, or bot accounts much harder to create. It discourages bad actors.  People who want to scam, harass, or spam a community are far less likely to attach a real payment method to do it. We can't catch every scenario, but the credit-card requirement raises the bar. It funds safety and support.  Reports, blocks, moderation tools, identity-light privacy features (like coarse location, masked names, and mutual radius matching), and human review of complaints all cost money to build and run. It signals commitment.  Members who pay to be here tend to take the community more seriously — they show up on time, communicate respectfully, and treat each other like neighbors, not strangers.  To be clear: the fee is for  access to the platform , not for any food. Food Finder does not handle, inspect, deliver, or guarantee any food, and the subscription doesn't change that. See our   Terms  and   Pricing  for details.

Question 37

How do I sign up?

Accepted Answer

Go to  sign in  and create an account with email + password or Google. You'll get a confirmation email; verify it and you're in.

Question 38

What data does Food Finder store?

Accepted Answer

Your account email, the display name and details you set, listings you create, and messages you send. See the   Privacy Policy  for the full list.

Question 39

How do I change what's visible?

Accepted Answer

Open  Account settings . Toggle messaging, address visibility, and phone visibility individually — each one is independent.

Question 40

How do I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

You're in control. Go to  Account settings   and use the  Delete my account  button at the bottom of the page. If you have an active subscription, your recurring billing is canceled automatically before deletion. No emails, no waiting on admin.

Question 41

How do I pause or cancel my subscription?

Accepted Answer

Open  Billing  and use the Pause or Cancel buttons. Cancel keeps your access through the end of your current billing period; Pause stops collection until you resume. Both happen instantly — no admin involved.

Question 42

Does Food Finder use cookies?

Accepted Answer

Yes — strictly necessary cookies for login plus a banner asking for consent on others. See our  Cookie Policy .

Question 43

Is Food Finder free?

Accepted Answer

No. Food Finder runs on a small subscription — Finders subscribe to browse and claim listings, and Sharers subscribe to post. The fee covers messaging, moderation, address protection, and the infrastructure that keeps the platform ad-free and independent. Food itself is always free between neighbors. See  Pricing .

Question 44

Do Sharers get paid?

Accepted Answer

No. Sharers never receive money. The platform fee belongs to Food Finder for running the site.

Question 45

I'm a Sharer — I'm already giving food away. Why do I have to pay?

Accepted Answer

Giving food is generous, and we don't take that lightly. The fee isn't for the food — it's for the platform that lets you connect with neighbors who need it: member profiles, private in-app messaging, address protection, moderation, and the global infrastructure that keeps it all running. A small contribution from both Sharers and Finders is what keeps Food Finder ad-free, independent, and focused on reducing waste — instead of relying on ads, data sales, or taking a cut of what's shared.

Question 46

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cancel yourself from  Billing   at any time. Your access continues through the end of your billing period.

Question 47

Can I pause my subscription?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Pause from  Billing   and resume whenever you're ready. While paused, you won't be charged.

Question 48

Do you offer refunds?

Accepted Answer

No. All subscription fees are non-refundable.  This includes monthly and annual plans, partial months, and any unused portion of your billing cycle. If you cancel, your subscription stays active through the end of the period you've already paid for, and then it stops renewing — but no money is returned for the remaining days. Downgrades are not refunded either.  If you upgrade to All-access and later switch back to Sharer-only or Finder-only, you are not refunded for the days you already paid at the All-access rate. You keep All-access through the end of the current period and the lower price kicks in at your next renewal. (See the downgrade question below for a full example.) If something genuinely went wrong on our end,   message admin   and we'll review it case by case.

Question 49

How does upgrading to an All-access subscription work? Is it prorated?

Accepted Answer

Yes — upgrading from a single side (Sharer or Finder) to   All-access  is  prorated automatically  by our payment processor. You're only charged the difference for the days left in your current billing period, and your renewal date stays the same. Real-life example Say a Sharer subscription is  $5/month  and an All-access subscription is  $8/month  (numbers used for the example — see  Pricing   for current rates). You start a Sharer plan on  March 1  and pay $5 for the month. On  March 16  (halfway through the cycle) you upgrade to All-access. Unused Sharer credit: $5 × (15 days left ÷ 31 days) ≈   $2.42 credit . Prorated All-access charge for the rest of the cycle: $8 × (15 ÷ 31) ≈   $3.87 . Net charged today: $3.87 − $2.42 ≈  $1.45 . On  April 1  your normal All-access renewal of   $8  kicks in and continues monthly. The exact cents are calculated by the payment processor down to the second, so your real invoice may differ by a few pennies, but the math always works the same way: you don't pay twice for days you already covered.

Question 50

What if I upgrade to All-access and then want to go back to a single side?

Accepted Answer

You can downgrade from All-access back to a single side (Sharer-only or Finder-only) at any time from   Billing . Two important things to understand before you do: No refunds for the unused portion.  If you upgraded to All-access mid-cycle and then drop back to a single side, we do  not  issue a prorated refund for the days you've already paid for at the All-access rate. You keep full All-access access through the end of your current billing period. The single-side rate starts at your next renewal.   On your next billing date, you'll be charged the lower single-side price going forward. Real-life example You upgrade to All-access on  March 16  (see the upgrade example above). On  March 25  you decide you only need Sharer. You are  not refunded  for March 25–31 at the All-access rate. You keep All-access access until  March 31 . On  April 1 , your plan renews as Sharer-only at   $5  instead of  $8 . The short version:  upgrades are prorated, downgrades are not . Please choose All-access when you're confident you'll use both sides for the full cycle. If you have questions before changing your plan,   message admin   first.

Question 51

Why am I seeing VAT, sales tax, or extra fees at checkout?

Accepted Answer

Sales tax and VAT are determined by your  state, country, or territory  — not by Food Finder. To stay compliant with local tax laws, our payment processor automatically calculates and adds the correct tax based on your billing location at checkout. If you see tax or added fees on your invoice, they reflect the rules of where you live (for example, EU VAT, UK VAT, US state sales tax, GST in Australia or Canada). The base subscription price stays the same everywhere — only the location-driven tax varies. Tax shown is collected and remitted to your local tax authority, not kept by Food Finder.

Question 52

What gets a listing removed?

Accepted Answer

Posting expired or opened food, prepared meals, regulated items (alcohol, tobacco), misleading descriptions, spam, or anything that violates our   Community Guidelines .

Question 53

What gets a user blocked?

Accepted Answer

Repeated violations, harassment, soliciting payment for food, attempting to use the platform for commercial sales, or any conduct that breaks the Terms of Use.

Question 54

How do I report someone?

Accepted Answer

Message admin   with the listing or username and a short description. We review every report.

Question 55

Can I dispute a moderation decision?

Accepted Answer

Yes.   Message admin   with your account name and the reason you believe the decision was wrong, and we'll re-review.

Question 56

Does Food Finder ever see or store my credit card information?

Accepted Answer

No. Never.  Card numbers, expiration dates, and CVCs are entered directly into a payment form hosted and rendered by  Stripe , our PCI-DSS Level 1 certified payment processor. The form lives in a secure Stripe-controlled iframe — Food Finder's servers, code, and database never receive, see, or store any card data. We only ever receive a tokenized customer and subscription reference back from Stripe.

Question 57

How does Stripe protect my payment information?

Accepted Answer

Stripe is certified as a  PCI Service Provider Level 1  — the most stringent level in the payments industry. All card data is transmitted over  TLS 1.2+ encrypted connections , stored in encrypted form on Stripe's hardened infrastructure, and protected by hardware security modules (HSMs). Stripe also runs continuous fraud monitoring (Stripe Radar), 3D Secure authentication, and chargeback protection on every transaction.

Question 58

How is my personal data protected?

Accepted Answer

Everything you enter on Food Finder travels over HTTPS (TLS-encrypted) and is stored in a managed Postgres database with  row-level security policies   enforced at the database layer. That means even if someone gained access to the API, they could only see data the rules explicitly allow them to see.   Authentication uses signed, short-lived tokens. Passwords are never stored — they are hashed using industry-standard one-way algorithms. Sensitive admin operations run through server-side functions that re-verify the user's identity and admin role on every call.

Question 59

Who can see my address, phone number, and exact location?

Accepted Answer

Nobody, by default.  Public listings only show your   neighborhood label  and a  coarsened distance   (rounded so it can't pinpoint your home). Your street address, phone number, and precise coordinates are stored privately and only revealed to a Finder you've agreed to meet, inside the message thread for that specific pickup. Other users also only ever see your  first name and last initial  — never your full name.

Question 60

What happens to my data when a pickup is complete?

Accepted Answer

Three hours after a listing is marked picked up, the message thread is automatically  archived and locked  for both sides — just like an Uber driver can't see old trip details. Neither party can read the old thread once it's locked. Admins retain audit access only for safety investigations.

Question 61

What if there's a security issue or breach?

Accepted Answer

Report any suspected vulnerability to admin via the   support inbox . We take responsible disclosure seriously, investigate immediately, and will notify affected users in line with applicable law. Because Food Finder never holds card data, even a worst-case database compromise cannot expose payment information.

Question 62

Do you sell my data or use it for ads?

Accepted Answer

No. Food Finder is funded entirely by member subscriptions. We do not sell user data, run third-party ad networks, or share your information with marketers. See our  Privacy Policy  for the full list of what we collect and why.

Question 63

Why does this section exist?

Accepted Answer

Food Finder LLC is a Florida entity, and Florida law governs how individuals share food with one another. Sharers and Finders take on  very different   obligations under that law. This section is a plain-language overview, not legal advice — for your situation, talk to a Florida attorney or your county health department ( FloridaHealth.gov ).

Question 64

What does Food Finder itself do under Florida law?

Accepted Answer

Nothing food-related. Food Finder is a  subscription-based platform   that connects individuals. We do not prepare, handle, store, transport, inspect, verify, or guarantee any food. We are not a restaurant, food establishment, cottage food operation, food bank, or distributor under Florida law, and we do not hold any food permit, license, or certification on behalf of members.

Frequently asked questions

The basics

For Sharers

For Finders

Messaging & communication

Safety & food quality

Account, privacy & data

Pricing, payments & refunds

Rules, violations & moderation

Privacy & security

Florida law: Sharers vs Finders

Legal

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