Three Square
Three Square, located in Las Vegas, Nevada, is a non-profit organization that distributes food through a network of more than 180 non-profit agencies and faith-based organizations throughout the valley . Three Square’s current President and CEO is Julie Murray. Three Square is a member organization of Feeding America, formerly known as America’s Second Harvest.
Mission
To provide wholesome food for hungry people, while passionately pursuing a hunger free community.
Services
Three Square aims to provide hunger relief to the estimated 210,000 people living in poverty in Clark County, according a 2006 study by Deborah Campbell & Associates. According to America's Second Harvest, 234 pounds of food are needed to sustain an individual living in poverty. Three Square has distributed over 10 million pounds of food to offset this hunger gap and aims to fill an annual need for 49 million pounds of food to serve the southern Nevada region in 2009. Three Square's methods include collecting distressed produce from local grocery stores, negotiating lower prices through bulk purchases, conducting analysis to purchase highest nutrition to cost products, and measuring the program's impact through measures such as student performance on standardized tests. Since 39% of students in the Clark County School District receive "Free and Reduced Meals," Three Square has developed services to assist children.
- BackPack Program: distributes backpacks on Friday filled with balanced non-perishable items to sustain children over the weekend.
- Summer Food Service Program: provides children with food over summer and holidays when school is not in session.
- Restaurant Week: fundraising event
- DISH Las Vegas: Interactive culinary arts event
History
When America's Second Harvest (now Feeding America) revoked Community Food Bank's membership August, 2007 for selling donations, Three Square began operations in its 50,000 sq foot building on 4190 North Pecos Road on December 17, 2007. On May 2, 2008, the adjacent 70,000 sq foot building was purchased and renovated to include a state of the art kitchen, a studio for a cooking television show hosted by chef celebrities and a community room for catered corporate off site meetings.