She Turned Food Waste Into Thousands of Meals for Louisville
Mon Jan 26 2026
What if feeding people with dignity could also build a sustainable and stronger local food system?In this episode of The Lou Review Podcast, we sit down with Rhona Bowles Kamar, founder and executive director of Feed Louisville, to explore how one Louisville-based nonprofit is redefining hunger relief with creativity, dignity, and long-term vision.Born out of the food insecurity crisis revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Feed Louisville rescues surplus food and transforms it into nourishing, chef-prepared meals for unhoused and food-insecure neighbors. What started as an urgent response has grown into a vital community force—powered by former restaurant professionals who believe good food is a human right, not a luxury.Rhona also shares how Feed Louisville is thinking beyond traditional nonprofit models through its social enterprise, ZEST—a plant-forward, grab-and-go meal line created by chefs and sold locally. Available at Value Market, Rainbow Blossom, Fante’s Coffee Shop, Billion Cup Coffee, and more locations coming soon, every ZEST purchase directly supports Feed Louisville’s hunger relief work.A former chef and co-owner of the beloved Ramsi’s Café on the World, and founder of Raising Hope Organic Farm, Rhona brings decades of culinary, agricultural, and community leadership to her mission. Her work has earned widespread recognition, including being named a 2025 Partners in Philanthropy Nonprofit Visionary Leader and a Today’s Woman Magazine Most Admired Woman.This conversation dives into food rescue, nonprofit innovation, social enterprise, and what it really takes to feed people with dignity—while strengthening Louisville from the inside out.In this episode, you’ll learn:How Feed Louisville turns rescued surplus food into chef-prepared mealsWhy dignity and access matter in hunger reliefHow ZEST supports nonprofit sustainability through local retail partnershipsThe role former restaurant professionals play in community careWhat it takes to build a mission-driven organization that lasts🎧 Subscribe to The Lou Review Podcast on Spotify and YouTube for more stories spotlighting the people and organizations shaping Louisville for the better.Connect with Feed Louisville:https://www.feedlouisville.orgOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feedlouisvi...Connect with host Rosa Hart:https://www.instagram.com/rosaraves/Learn more about The Lou Review Foundationhttps://loureview.com/
More
What if feeding people with dignity could also build a sustainable and stronger local food system?In this episode of The Lou Review Podcast, we sit down with Rhona Bowles Kamar, founder and executive director of Feed Louisville, to explore how one Louisville-based nonprofit is redefining hunger relief with creativity, dignity, and long-term vision.Born out of the food insecurity crisis revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Feed Louisville rescues surplus food and transforms it into nourishing, chef-prepared meals for unhoused and food-insecure neighbors. What started as an urgent response has grown into a vital community force—powered by former restaurant professionals who believe good food is a human right, not a luxury.Rhona also shares how Feed Louisville is thinking beyond traditional nonprofit models through its social enterprise, ZEST—a plant-forward, grab-and-go meal line created by chefs and sold locally. Available at Value Market, Rainbow Blossom, Fante’s Coffee Shop, Billion Cup Coffee, and more locations coming soon, every ZEST purchase directly supports Feed Louisville’s hunger relief work.A former chef and co-owner of the beloved Ramsi’s Café on the World, and founder of Raising Hope Organic Farm, Rhona brings decades of culinary, agricultural, and community leadership to her mission. Her work has earned widespread recognition, including being named a 2025 Partners in Philanthropy Nonprofit Visionary Leader and a Today’s Woman Magazine Most Admired Woman.This conversation dives into food rescue, nonprofit innovation, social enterprise, and what it really takes to feed people with dignity—while strengthening Louisville from the inside out.In this episode, you’ll learn:How Feed Louisville turns rescued surplus food into chef-prepared mealsWhy dignity and access matter in hunger reliefHow ZEST supports nonprofit sustainability through local retail partnershipsThe role former restaurant professionals play in community careWhat it takes to build a mission-driven organization that lasts🎧 Subscribe to The Lou Review Podcast on Spotify and YouTube for more stories spotlighting the people and organizations shaping Louisville for the better.Connect with Feed Louisville:https://www.feedlouisville.orgOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feedlouisvi...Connect with host Rosa Hart:https://www.instagram.com/rosaraves/Learn more about The Lou Review Foundationhttps://loureview.com/