This story is one of several in Sioux Falls Simplified's annual 'A Little Help' give-back campaign. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to support Bread Break. You can donate here, and, if you wanna support two cool things in one, we're donating a portion of new subscriber revenue as well.

Simplified: Bread Break makes it easy for local businesses to give excess food to people who need it rather than throwing it in the trash. Volunteers come to the business, pick up the food and deliver it to one of 40+ partner organizations across Sioux Falls.

Why it matters

  • It's a win-win scenario. Businesses get a tax write-off for the food they're donating, and nonprofits get a free supply of food to give to folks in need. On top of it all, the food gets eaten rather than going to waste in the landfill.
  • For Flyboy Donuts Owner Ben Duenwald and his sister, Stacy White, who handles business operations, being able to partner with Bread Break is a key player in sustaining their business.
  • Bread Break picks up about 40 dozen donuts each week, and volunteers – who call themselves the "Donut Ladies" – repackage them into smaller containers and deliver them to organizations including (but not limited to) Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, The Banquet, DAV- Disabled American Veterans, Shelter for Family Safety, City Center Apartments, Glory House, St Francis House, and the Union Gospel Mission.
"Our goal is to make more donuts than we sell," White said. "But who likes to throw away good food? That's where it's been wonderful (to partner with Bread Break). Otherwise we wouldn't be able to sustain the model ... our ethics wouldn't allow us to throw away that much good food."

Tell me more

Flyboy is one of more than four dozen local business locations that provides food for Bread Break.

  • Volunteers run more than 100 routes each week picking up unused food and delivering it to a place where it'll be eaten.

Relatively new on the list of partners is Pomegranate Market, which began working with Bread Break when it opened its new location in downtown Sioux Falls.

  • Bistro Manager and Head Chef T.R. Fuentes McKenzie said it's a natural partnership – especially given Pomegranate's mission of blessing the community with healthy food, blessing local producers with a place to sell and blessing employees with a healthy place to work.
"Even the food that we’re not able to sell anymore is still blessing someone going forward when it leaves this building," he said.

Fuentes McKenzie became so invested in Bread Break's mission, he now serves on the nonprofit's board of directors. He describes Bread Break as a bridge connecting the community.

"The transaction doesn't require money," he said. "It’s more of a community transaction – just out of good will."