Hidden Harvest began with a simple but profound belief held by our founder, Christy Porter: No one in the Coachella Valley should go hungry while good food goes to waste.

In 1999, Christy saw firsthand the heartbreaking disconnect between the abundance grown in our valley and the families who couldn’t access it. With compassion, persistence, and a deep love for this community, she built Hidden Harvest from the ground up—rescuing fresh produce that would have otherwise been discarded and connecting it directly with our neighbors in need.

Her vision reshaped what food access could look like in our region. What started as a one-woman operation with a borrowed truck quickly grew into a regional movement powered by volunteers, small farmers, packing house partners, and generous supporters.

our founder: christy porter

Christy’s Enduring Legacy

Across more than two decades, Christy Porter earned regional, statewide, and national recognition for her unwavering commitment to food justice, dignity, and community. Her achievements honor not only her own leadership, but the movement she sparked—one that continues to grow, nourish, and uplift the Coachella Valley and beyond.

A legacy of leadership, innovation & recognition

Christy’s reputation for integrity and ingenuity attracted influential board members, major grants, national media coverage, and deep community trust, expanding Hidden Harvest’s reach and strengthening its foundation for the future. She inspired generations of students, volunteers, and emerging agricultural leaders through hands-on teaching farms and fresh-food education initiatives that connected people directly to the land and to one another.

2001 — A Bold Beginning

  • Christy Porter founds Hidden Harvest, drawing on her background as an award-winning photojournalist and her deep admiration for local farmworkers and growers.

  • With support from the Desert Community Foundation, Hidden Harvest acquires and restores a historic 17,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Coachella, including 7,000 sq. ft. of cold-storage — laying the foundation for large-scale produce rescue in the valley.

  • Christy receives the Harry Chapin World Hunger Year Award, honoring innovators in community-based hunger solutions.

2003 — Continued National Recognition

  • Hidden Harvest once again receives the Harry Chapin Award, further validating Christy’s pioneering model for fighting hunger while reducing food waste.

2006–2007 — Leadership in Crisis & Statewide Honors

  • During the region’s worst freeze in 30 years, Christy leads emergency food distribution efforts for affected farmworkers — generating widespread media attention and community support.

  • April: Christy is named Outstanding Nonprofit Executive for Riverside and San Bernardino Counties by the Resource Center for Nonprofit Management.

  • October: Christy receives the prestigious Minerva Award, presented by First Lady Maria Shriver at the California Governor & First Lady’s Conference on Women.

    • The Minerva Award honors extraordinary contributions to California.

    • Christy’s achievements are enshrined in a permanent exhibit at the California Museum for History, Women and the Arts in Sacramento.

    • Past honorees include trailblazers such as Dr. Sally Ride, Billie Jean King, Gloria Steinem, and Betty Ford.

2008 — National Media Spotlight & Government Recognition

  • People Magazine profiles Christy in its Heroes Among Us feature.

  • HH receives the U.S. Senate’s Health Care Champions Award, presented by Senator Barbara Boxer, recognizing Christy’s leadership in strengthening health access through nutritious food.

  • Christy and Hidden Harvest are featured on:

    • Univision’s Despierta América (national segment)

    • Success for Women Magazine

  • Hidden Harvest receives a $141,000 grant from the Regional Access Project Foundation — a direct testament to Christy’s leadership and credibility.

2012 — National Television Features

  • CBS Sunday Morning airs a feature on Christy’s innovative food-rescue work and the national food-waste crisis.

  • The newly launched Clinton Health Matters Initiative features Hidden Harvest on its website, highlighting Christy’s model as a promising community health strategy.

2013 — Recognition from National Leaders

  • Christy is invited to speak on a discussion panel at the Clinton Foundation Health Matters Conference, reinforcing her status as a respected leader in food access and public health.

  • Later that year, President Bill Clinton visits Hidden Harvest headquarters, touring the operation Christy built.

    • NBC News films a segment on-site with Dr. Nancy Snyderman for NBC Nightly News, bringing national visibility to Christy’s work.