Fiorenza’s Food for Friends, also known as F4, was introduced as the newest recipient of the Community Partner Award by the Rotary Club of West Chester at a recent luncheon meeting at the West Chester Golf and Country Club. Introducing the fourth recipient of the award, Rotarian Jeff Cantwell, who was on the team that selected F4, explained that the Community Partner Award is given quarterly to a business that supports the efforts of the Rotary club, and the Rotary motto, Service Above Self.“After 21 years of the Rotary Club conducting its annual Chili Cook-off in the Borough of West Chester, which was so popular and attracted as many as 10,000 people each fall, the club decided to turn the Cook-off over to another organization that would continue this event that has become such a welcome, family friendly addition to borough events, in order to pursue other Rotary projects,” explained Cantwell.
F4 representatives, Derek Fiorenza, founder and board chairman, and Brenda Russell, CEO, were invited to the podium by Club President Kyle Rheiner. “We want to recognize F4 for taking over the annual Chili Cook-off,” said Rheiner. “Over the past couple of decades, F4 has rescued, gathered and transported tons of food for those in need, and continues to make a lasting impact, strengthening lives and fostering positive change. Therefore it is my honor to present F4 with a Partner Award from the Rotary Club of West Chester.”
In response to accepting the award, Fiorenza, thanked the Rotary Club for choosing F4, a non-profit corporation taking steps to eradicate hunger through their work with local businesses and suppliers to rescue perishable food on an as-needed basis.
F4 seeks to educate others about food insecurity and the awareness of hunger, to engage volunteers to support the cause of creating a world without hunger, and to eradicate hunger by working together to execute their process. Other programs that further their goals: the Harvest Program, Casserole Program, and newest program, Morsels-2-Meals, a $10 per month initiative to provide meals to families. To date, they provide 1,000 meals per year. Fiorenza expressed his personal feeling that “life is about giving back,” citing the need to recruit sustainable volunteers to help raise awareness.
F4 will continue sponsoring the annual event, with the 2026 Chili Cook-off scheduled in the Borough of West Chester on October 11th. West Chester Rotary Club members will assist in continuing to help F4 reach out to people locally and in neighboring communities. Some Rotarians will also participate in the event.