Feeding Our Future was a Minnesota-based food distribution nonprofit that partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to distribute food to low-income children and senior citizens. The group operated primarily between 2018 and 2021, but as of 2024 the group was shut down due to allegations of attempting to defraud the USDA. 1
History
Feeding Our Future was founded by Aimee Bock in 2016. It started approving federal food distributions sites in 2018. From 2018 to 2021, Feeding Our Future received $244 million from federal nutrition programs, including the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later alleged that tens of millions in grants were fraudulently used by Feeding Our Future and its subcontractors, with prosecutors arguing the money was spent on personal items. Federal prosecutors would charge several defendants associated with Feeding Our Future with fraud and as of 2024, Feeding Our Future is defunct. 2 3 4
Fraud Case
Complaints
Feeding Our Future was first formed in 2016, where it began receiving federal grants by 2018. By the end of 2019, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) had received 10 complaints about Feeding Our Future’s use of federal funds. Through 2021, there were more than 30 complaints about the group, with several coming from Partners in Quality Care. 5
Trial
Feeding Our Future and its subcontractors were brought to court by the US government for allegedly fraudulently using nearly $250 million of federal money meant for needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were over 70 defendants in at least six separate cases who were charged for crimes such as wire fraud, federal bribery, and money laundering. As of October 2024, 18 defendants had pleaded guilty. There were seven defendants from Feeding Our Future’s first trial, after which five were found guilty while two were acquitted. Prosecutors filed additional charges against five defendants, three of whom had been defendants in the Feeding Our Future trial, for involvement in an attempted bribe of one of the jurors. 6 7 8
References
- Ansari, Hibah, Andrew Hazzard, and Becky Z. Dernbach. “Feds Investigate Nonprofit Incorporated by Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman in Alleged Feeding Our Future Food Fraud.” Sahan Journal, January 24, 2022. https://sahanjournal.com/business-work/feeding-our-future-stigma-free-international-jamal-osman/.
- Peters, Joey. “Feeding Our Future Director Blames Minnesota Department of Education for Food Aid Probe.” Sahan Journal, February 1, 2022. https://sahanjournal.com/news/feeding-our-future-aimee-bock-interview/.
- “Feeding Our Future Trial: Latest Updates.” Sahan Journal. Accessed September 16, 2024. https://sahanjournal.com/feeding-our-future-trial/.
- “U.S. Attorney Announces Federal Charges Against 47 Defendants in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme.” Justice.gov, September 20, 2022. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-attorney-announces-federal-charges-against-47-defendants-250-million-feeding-our-future.
- Hazzard, Andrew. “Five Takeaways from A Report on the State’s Oversight of Feeding Our Future.” Sahan Journal, June 13, 2024. https://sahanjournal.com/policing-justice/takeaways-report-feeding-our-future-fraud/.
- “U.S. Attorney Announces Federal Charges Against 47 Defendants in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme.” Justice.gov, September 20, 2022. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-attorney-announces-federal-charges-against-47-defendants-250-million-feeding-our-future.
- Pross, Katrina, and Joey Peters. “Feeding Our Future Juror Bribed With $120K, Defendants Arrested.” Sahan Journal, June 3, 2024. https://sahanjournal.com/policing-justice/feeding-our-future-trial-jury-tampering/.
- “Feeding Our Future Trial: Latest Updates.” Sahan Journal. Accessed September 16, 2024. https://sahanjournal.com/feeding-our-future-trial/.