Rethink Request is a free intake tool run by Rethink Food NYC. These terms cover what you can expect from us and what we ask of you in return. We operate this service on a best-effort basis — meals depend on kitchen capacity, partner schedules, and volunteer drivers. We won’t promise more than we can deliver. The rest of this page is the detail behind that.
By submitting a meal request or otherwise using the app, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy.
Who we are
Rethink Food NYC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York. The Rethink Request app at em.rethinkfood.org (the “Service”) is operated by Rethink Food NYC.
Email: request@rethinkfood.org
Mail: 116 W Houston St, Floor 2, New York, NY 10012
What this service does
Rethink Request is an intake and coordination tool. Community organizations and individuals submit meal requests, and Rethink Food coordinates with restaurant and food-service partners to deliver donated meals across New York City.
The Service is a coordination tool, not a contract for guaranteed delivery. Rethink Food makes its best effort to fulfill requests subject to the availability of food, partner providers, volunteers, and funding. Submitting a request doesn’t create a guarantee that meals will be delivered, that any specific quantity will be delivered, or that delivery will occur on any specific date or time.
What we ask of you
You may use the Service only if:
- You’re physically located in the New York City service area, or you’re submitting on behalf of a recipient located in that area.
- You’re at least 18 years old, or you’re submitting under the supervision of an adult who is.
- You’re submitting on behalf of yourself, or on behalf of an organization with the authority to bind it.
- Your use complies with all applicable U.S. federal, New York state, and local laws.
When you use the Service, you agree to:
- Provide truthful, accurate, and complete information.
- Submit a request only when there’s a genuine need; no duplicate or fraudulent requests.
- Not abuse, overload, scrape, or attempt to disrupt the Service.
- Not attempt to access administrative areas without authorization.
- Not use the Service to harass any Rethink Food staff member, partner provider, or other recipient.
We may refuse, modify, or cancel any request that we believe in good faith violates these Terms or isn’t consistent with our nonprofit mission.
SMS terms
If you opt in to SMS updates by checking the SMS-consent box on the intake form, the following terms apply. These mirror the SMS section of our Privacy Policy and are repeated here for clarity.
- Sender: Rethink Food NYC, from toll-free number +1-877-366-1764 (operated through Telnyx).
- Program type: Two-way operational SMS about your meal request. No marketing, no promotional content.
- Two-way: We send status updates and you can reply with questions or scheduling changes. A member of Rethink Food staff reads replies and responds. Inbound and outbound messages are both stored in our secure database for operational record-keeping.
- Frequency: Up to three outbound messages per meal request (approval, provider assigned, delivery arrived). Replies and staff responses depend on the conversation. Approximately 1,000 to 3,000 messages per month across the entire program.
- Outbound message templates: Limited to the three operational templates published in our Privacy Policy.
- Opt-in: Affirmative checkbox on the intake form, with the disclosure: “I agree to receive SMS updates about this meal request from Rethink Food at the phone number above. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.”
- Opt-out: Reply STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, or QUIT to any message. We honor opt-outs immediately and permanently.
- Help: Reply HELP for an auto-reply directing you to request@rethinkfood.org.
- Cost: Message and data rates may apply. Rethink Food doesn’t charge you to receive messages; your carrier may.
- No sharing for marketing: Rethink Food will not share, sell, rent, lease, or transfer phone numbers or SMS consent to any third party for marketing purposes, including affiliates.
You agree that you’re the subscriber or customary user of the phone number you provide, and that you have authority to opt that number in to the program.
What we don’t promise
The Service is provided on a best-effort basis. Specifically:
- Approval of any request is at Rethink Food’s discretion based on capacity, partner availability, geography, and program priorities.
- Delivery dates and time windows are estimates and may shift due to logistics, weather, traffic, or partner constraints.
- The Service may be unavailable from time to time due to maintenance, outages of third-party providers, or other factors outside our control.
- We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service or any feature at any time, with or without notice.
Disclaimer of warranties
The Service is provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Rethink Food disclaims all warranties, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, accuracy, and uninterrupted or error-free operation.
Rethink Food does not warrant that meals will be delivered on any particular schedule, in any particular quantity, or at all. Deliveries depend on food-safety, partner, and volunteer factors outside our control. Recipients are responsible for inspecting delivered meals before consumption and for following safe food-handling practices.
Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, in no event will Rethink Food, its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, or partners be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, revenues, data, or goodwill, arising out of or related to your use of the Service, even if we’ve been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Our total aggregate liability arising out of or relating to the Service or these Terms will not exceed one hundred U.S. dollars ($100). Because the Service is provided free of charge by a nonprofit, this cap reflects the parties’ allocation of risk.
Some jurisdictions don’t allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages — including for gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud, personal injury caused by negligence, or other liabilities that can’t be waived under applicable law. In those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the smallest extent permitted by law, and the carve-outs above apply.
Account and access
End users (people submitting meal requests) don’t create accounts. Rethink Food staff sign in to the admin area through Auth.js v5; staff access is governed by internal policy and by these Terms.
You agree not to attempt unauthorized access to admin areas, other users’ data, or any non-public part of the Service.
Content you submit
The Service, including its software, design, text, graphics, and the names “Rethink Food,” “Rethink Request,” and associated logos, is owned by Rethink Food or its licensors and is protected by U.S. copyright, trademark, and other laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease, or create derivative works of any part of the Service without our prior written permission, except as expressly permitted by law.
You retain ownership of any information you submit through the intake form. By submitting it, you grant Rethink Food a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use that information to operate the Service, fulfill your request, and report on program impact in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Rethink Food, its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and partners from any claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of (a) your violation of these Terms, (b) your misuse of the Service, or (c) information you submit that’s false, infringing, or violates the rights of another person.
Governing law and disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. Federal laws of the United States also apply where they govern.
Before filing any formal action, you agree to first contact us in good faith at request@rethinkfood.org and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.
If informal resolution fails, any dispute arising out of or related to these Terms or the Service will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New York County, New York, and you and Rethink Food consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.
These Terms don’t contain a mandatory arbitration clause or a class-action waiver.
Changes to this service
We may update these Terms from time to time. The effective date at the top reflects the most recent version. If a change is material, we’ll provide reasonable advance notice (an in-app notice or a direct email) before it takes effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of an update constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
Miscellaneous
- Entire agreement. These Terms and the Privacy Policy are the entire agreement between you and Rethink Food regarding the Service.
- Severability. If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.
- No waiver. Our failure to enforce any right or provision is not a waiver of that right or provision.
- Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without our consent. We may assign them in connection with a merger, acquisition, or transfer of assets.
How to reach us
Rethink Food NYC
Email: request@rethinkfood.org
Mail: 116 W Houston St, Floor 2, New York, NY 10012
See also the Privacy Policy.