In 2000, the idea of preventing safe, wholesome food from going to waste became a concern. A leased truck immediately began picking up food from distributors and other donors to distribute around the community. By 2002, the Food Recovery Program (originally named Three Rivers Harvest) was serving 19 area meal sites and food pantries.

Today, The Hunger Task Force is serving over 120 meal sites, food pantries, youth programs, and outreach sites in La Crosse, Vernon, Trempealeau, Crawford and Monroe Counties in Wisconsin, Houston and Winona Counties in Minnesota, and Allamakee County in Iowa. In 2023, over 1,000,000 pounds of TEFAP food (The Emergency Food Assistance Program), 300,000 pounds of Fresh Produce Boxes, and 2,500,000 pounds of "recovered" food was distributed to these partner programs.