About Us
Committed to Combatting Food Waste & Hunger
At FoodWeb, we are dedicated to resolving the issues of food waste and hunger throughout our community.
FoodWeb is committed to sharing surplus and nourishing hope by connecting communities with fresh, healthy produce. Founded by high school students in the Lower Hudson Valley, we collaborate with food recovery organizations, local partners, and community members to create outdoor farmers markets for those in need. These markets provide dignified access to nutritious food while reducing waste and supporting a sustainable, equitable food system. Join us in our mission to empower communities and bring fresh food access to all.
Sustainability | Community & Collaboration | Nutritional Integrity
Meet Our Team
We are students dedicated to using technology to transform surplus food into a source of nourishment for our local community and to reduce food insecurity in our neighborhoods.
Julia Kroin
Mentor
Julia is 18 years old and currently lives in Harrison, New York and is a Senior at Rye Country Day School. In her free time, Julia works on the stage crew for her school’s theater productions as the technical Stage Manager. She also produces digital media for her school newspaper, CROP.
Julia is a leader in her school, working both as a head tour guide, stage manager and as a Peer Leader for underclassmen. Some of Julia’s hobbies include playing the guitar and bass, watching movies, and writing.
Jake Messafi
Jake is currently a Senior at Blind Brook High School where he is an active participant in the Model UN Club and plays both Varsity Soccer and Baseball. He also volunteered with Backyard Sports Cares as a coach, helping children with special needs learn sports. Additionally, Jake is a participant in the Leaders for Tomorrow program through the America Jewish Committee (AJC).
Jake became interested in food recovery when he volunteered at a local food pantry and realized the immediate need for fresh fruit and produce. His passion for helping local communities access healthier food led to co-founding FoodWeb.
In his free time, Jake enjoys managing his fantasy football teams, listening to music, traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Ari Messafi
Ari is currently a Freshman at Blind Brook High School where he is on the JV Soccer and Baseball team. He is a participant in the Model UN club, Italian Club and writes for the school newspaper. Ari volunteers at a local community center stocking the food pantry shelves and participating in their annual Thanksgiving charity event. He has also volunteered with Grassroots Grocery.
Ari spends his free time playing Travel Baseball, watching football, seeing Broadway shows and spending time with friends and family.
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Samantha Goldban
Samantha is currently a Junior at Scarsdale High School where she is pursuing her interests in a variety of clubs. She is the co-president of the Scarsdale High School Innocence Club which is committed to raising awareness in the school community of the inequities in our criminal justice system as well as wrongful convictions. She is also the vice president of The Jewish Culture Club and an active member of DECA.
Sammy first became interested in food recovery and helping to end food insecurity several years ago while volunteering for Grass Roots Grocery. She was shocked by the lack of fruits and vegetables in local food pantries and started to think about how to change this. In her free time, Samantha can be found baking, sewing and making jewelry. She also loves spending time with her friends and family and her dog, Buddy.
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Teddy Kroin
Teddy is currently a Freshman at Rye Country Day School where he is involved in a variety of activities such as Cross Country and Basketball. Outside of school, Teddy is the drummer in an 80s rock band and an avid metal-smither/jewelry designer.
Teddy explains where his passion to helping support his community through FoodWeb came from: "I'm interested in FoodWeb because since a young age, I have seen hungry people on the streets of New York city, and I have been taught about food insecurity in school. I was happy to find out that I could help to fix this issue by working with Foodweb."
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Natalie Goldban
Natalie is currently a Junior at Scarsdale High School where she is involved in several activities. She is the co-president of the Scarsdale High School Innocence Club which is committed to raising awareness in the school community of the inequities in our criminal justice system as well as wrongful convictions. Natalie is also the vice president of the Jewish Culture Club, and a board member of Lifting Up Westchester.
Natalie started volunteering with Grass Roots Grocery four years ago and it opened her eyes to the limited access many of her neighboring communities have to fresh produce. It was then that she started thinking about how to help others access perfectly good fruits and vegetables that often go to waste. Natalie spends her free time playing tennis, hanging out with friends, reading and going for walks with her dog, Buddy.
Our Community Partners
