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

What is the founding period?

Accepted Answer

The founding period is the window while we're building the network. Sharing food is free forever. Finding food is free during the founding period — until we reach 25,000 neighbors nationwide.Once we hit that goal, Finders will switch to a small monthly fee. Anyone who joined during the founding period keeps the lower founding rate for life as long as they stay continuously subscribed. After the founding period ends, new Finders join at the standard rate.No credit card, no trial clock, no charge today. See pricing for the exact rates and full details.

Question 3

What is a Sharer?

Accepted Answer

A Sharer is anyone who posts unopened, not-expired food they won't use so a nearby neighbor can pick it up. Sharers never pay to list food on Food Finder.

Question 4

What is a Finder?

Accepted Answer

A Finder is anyone who browses local listings and messages a Sharer to arrange pickup of food they can use.

Question 5

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 6

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 U.S.-based company. It is funded entirely by user 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 7

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 8

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 9

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 10

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 unopened, still-in-date loaf of bread, the unopened, not-expired produce, the unopened pantry items still well before their printed dates 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 11

Do I need to pay anything to use Food Finder?

Accepted Answer

Not right now. Sharing food is free forever. Finding food is free during the founding period. No credit card, no trial clock, no charge today. See pricing for the full story.

Question 12

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 13

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 pantry of unopened, not-expired groceriesHosts of parties, weddings, or work events with extra unopened, in-date packaged itemsFamilies moving and emptying the kitchen of sealed, still-in-date pantry goodsGardeners with too much fresh produce they grew themselves (still good and unspoiled)Subscribers to meal-kit or grocery boxes that don't fit the week (sealed, in-date components only)Small grocers or markets with surplus packaged goods that are unopened and before their printed date

Question 14

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 15

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 sealedLeftovers of any kind, including from parties, restaurants, or your own kitchenAnything opened, partially used, or repackagedAnything past its expiration / best-by dateAlcohol, tobacco, cannabis, supplements, breast milk, infant formula past date, or anything regulatedItems that require refrigeration but have been left outAnything you wouldn't comfortably eat yourself todayFood 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 16

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. Users do not pay each other. Any platform fee covers running the site — it does not go to Sharers.

Question 17

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 allWhether to show your address on your profileWhether to show your phone numberEven with everything off, you can still share pickup details inside a private message after you've had a conversation with a specific Finder.

Question 18

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 19

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 20

How long does a listing stay up?

Accepted Answer

Every listing has a fixed 20-day active window from the day you post it. After 20 days without activity, the listing and its photos are permanently and automatically deleted — they're gone from our systems, not archived. This keeps the feed honest so nobody chases food that's long since moved on.Two ways to keep a listing alive:Tap Refresh on your listing (or edit it) — the 20 days reset from that moment.Mark it Picked up once a Finder collects it.If your food is still available after the window closes, just post a brand-new listing — it only takes a minute.

Question 21

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 22

Who is a typical Finder?

Accepted Answer

Anyone who can use extra food. Common examples:College students stretching a budgetFamilies looking to spend less on groceriesAnyone who hates seeing good food go to wastePeople who cook for groups or shared housesFolks between paychecksNeighbors who just like being part of a communityYou don't have to qualify, prove income, or explain yourself. If a Sharer offers it and you want it, that's enough.

Question 23

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 24

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 25

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 26

Can I message multiple Sharers?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 27

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 28

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 29

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 30

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 31

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 32

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 33

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 34

What about allergies?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 35

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 36

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 37

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 38

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 39

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 40

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 users — 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 user: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 users 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. Users 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 41

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 42

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 43

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 44

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 45

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 46

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 47

What is the "founding subscriber" lifetime price-lock?

Accepted Answer

Every account created during the founding period earns the founding rate. When billing eventually begins for Finders (after we reach 25,000 neighbors nationwide), you'll pay $3.99/month — locked for life as long as you stay continuously subscribed — instead of the standard $4.99/month.No card or trial is required now. There's nothing to charge yet. When billing does begin, we'll email you well before anything happens.Sharers never pay either way. The founding lock only applies to Finders, since Sharing is free forever.

Question 48

What happens to my founding price-lock if I cancel and come back?

Accepted Answer

If you cancel your subscription, you forfeit the price-lock. Your founding number stays on file for reference, but the lifetime-price promise only applies while you are continuously subscribed.If you re-subscribe later, you'll pay whatever the current advertised price is at that time — not your original founding rate. For example:You become founding subscriber #842 at $3.99/mo (plus applicable tax) and stay for a year — you stay at $3.99/mo (plus applicable tax).You cancel. Six months later prices have moved to $4.99/mo (plus applicable tax).You re-subscribe — you'll pay $4.99/mo (plus applicable tax), not $3.99/mo. Your founding number #842 still appears in Billing as a record, but it no longer locks the price.The lock rewards the people who stick with us from the beginning — it isn't a"come back whenever, same price forever" promise.

Question 49

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 50

Do Sharers get paid?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 51

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: user 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 52

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 53

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 54

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 55

Are Finder subscriptions prorated if my situation changes mid-cycle?

Accepted Answer

Yes — our payment processor prorates automatically. If you cancel mid-cycle you keep access through the end of the period you already paid for; if a plan change ever raises or lowers your price, the difference is applied to your next invoice down to the second.The short version: you never pay twice for days you already covered, and you're never charged for days you didn't use. Questions before changing anything? Message admin first.

Question 56

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

Accepted Answer

A Food Finder subscription is a digital service (an online platform you access over the internet). Most jurisdictions classify digital services as taxable — similar to how streaming services, software subscriptions, and app subscriptions are taxed. The exact rules depend on your state, country, or territory, not on Food Finder:United States: a growing number of states tax digital products and SaaS subscriptions (rates and rules vary by state and sometimes by city).European Union & UK: VAT on electronically supplied services is required by law and charged at your country's VAT rate.Canada, Australia, and others: GST/HST or equivalent applies to digital services consumed locally.To stay compliant everywhere, our payment processor automatically calculates and adds the correct tax at checkout based on your billing location. 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.Example breakdownHawaii applies its 4% General Excise Tax (GET) to most services, including digital subscriptions. If you live in Hawaii and sign up for a Finder subscription at $3.99/month:Subscription: $3.99Hawaii GET (4%): $3.99 × 0.04 ≈ $0.16Total charged each month: ≈ $4.15(Illustrative example for Hawaii at the 4% state GET rate. Some Hawaii counties add a small surcharge, and your exact rate depends on your billing address. Other states and countries will show different rates — or no tax at all if your location doesn't tax digital services.)You'll always see the exact breakdown on the checkout page before you confirm, and on every invoice in Billing.

Question 57

How does the referral program work?

Accepted Answer

Every Food Finder member has a personal referral link on their account page. Share the link. When someone signs up through it, they're tagged as your referral.During the founding period: a referral qualifies once the neighbor has kept their account active for 30 days. There's nothing to pay yet, so free months are banked to your account and apply automatically once paid Finder pricing begins. You also climb the tier ladder in real time — and any tier you reach during founding is permanent.After the founding period ends: the standard rule takes over — the neighbor must pay their first bill and stay subscribed for 90 days for the referral to qualify.

Question 58

How does founding period referring benefit me specifically?

Accepted Answer

Three ways, all permanent: (1) Each qualified referral banks a fraction of a future free Finder month (5 qualified = 1 full month banked). (2) You move up the tier ladder — Neighbor, Connector, Community Builder, Movement Maker, Founding Ambassador — and that status sticks with your account for life. (3) Hit 5 qualified referrals during founding and you lock in free Finder access at the founding rate for life, even after paid pricing starts.

Question 59

What do I earn?

Accepted Answer

Every 5 qualified referrals earns you 1 month of Finder subscription credit. Credits stack with no cap — 10 qualified = 2 months, 15 = 3 months, and so on. During founding they're banked; after founding they apply to your next invoice.

Question 60

How are credits applied?

Accepted Answer

Credits are applied automatically to your next Food Finder subscription invoice once paid Finder pricing begins. You don't need to enter a code or do anything — your bill just goes down (or to zero) until the banked credits run out.

Question 61

Are credits worth cash?

Accepted Answer

No. Credits have no cash value, are non-transferable, non-refundable, and can only be used to pay for future Food Finder subscription invoices. Credits expire 12 months after they're applied to your account.

Question 62

Why 30 days now and 90 days later?

Accepted Answer

During founding, nobody is paying yet — so the fair signal that a referral is 'real' is whether the neighbor stuck around for 30 days of active use. Once paid Finder pricing begins, the 90-day paid rule keeps the free months we hand out backed by real subscriptions, so we can keep the program sustainable.

Question 63

Can I see my referrals?

Accepted Answer

Yes — your account page shows every neighbor who signed up with your link, where they are in the qualification timeline, and how many more you need to unlock your next credit. Their email addresses are masked to protect their privacy.

Question 64

What happens if my referral cancels?

Accepted Answer

During founding, if your referred neighbor deletes their account inside the first 30 days, the referral won't qualify. Once qualified, it stays qualified — a later cancel doesn't claw it back. After paid pricing begins, the standard rule: if they cancel before completing the 90-day paid retention window, that referral is disqualified.

How can we help?

The basics

For Sharers

For Finders

Messaging & communication

Safety & food quality

Account, privacy & data

Pricing, payments & refunds

Refer & Earn (referral program)

Rules, violations & moderation

Privacy & security

Legal

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