Trees That Feed Foundation plants fruit-bearing trees - especially breadfruit - in tropical, food-insecure countries. The Northfield-based nonprofit also provides training, equipment, and market support so farmers and entrepreneurs can turn harvests into sustainable livelihoods. Additionally, it created a breadfruit-based school feeding program in Haiti that has now been replicated on a gigantic scale by United Nations agencies. TTFF has impacted more than 20 countries across the Caribbean, Central America, and Africa with a mission to feed people, create jobs, and benefit the environment.

What was the catalyst for founding Trees That Feed?

The idea began over coffee in Mary and Mike McLaughlin’s Winnetka home. Mary wanted to plant trees for the environment; Mike suggested fruit trees that could also provide food and jobs. They immediately thought of breadfruit, a nutritious, versatile, climate-resilient crop they knew from growing up in Jamaica.

That spark led Mary, Mike, and Mary’s late brother, Paul Virtue, to co-found TTFF in 2008. Mary sold her business, McLaughlin Glazeware, and Mike retired from Deloitte in 2012 to volunteer full time.

How do you build relationships with farmers?

We build relationships through trust, accountability, and local leadership. TTFF partners with cooperatives, nonprofits, government agencies, and entrepreneurs because solutions last when communities lead.

Farmers apply for trees, and entrepreneurs submit business plans. We stay closely connected with WhatsApp. We and our donors can see the trees on an interactive world map via Greenstand’s TreeTracker app. Over time, many beneficiaries become self-sufficient partners, teaching others to plant trees and create products like breadfruit flour, breadfruit chips, and much more.

How many trees have you planted to help feed communities?

TTFF has planted more than 450,000 food bearing trees, providing nearly 170 million meals in 2024 alone while creating jobs and protecting the environment.

How can we get involved?

Help us reach 500,000 trees! Just $15 provides, plants, and cares for a breadfruit tree - a tree that can feed a family for generations. Some are still producing fruit after a century. You can also spread the word, follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our e-news. Every action brings us closer to a world without hunger.

What is one thing you want everyone to know about Trees That Feed?

Breadfruit is the “super tree” that feeds, employs, and heals the Earth! Each tree produces abundant, nutritious fruit, eaten fresh or processed into gluten-free flour. It creates jobs, improves soil, stores carbon, and thrives in tough climates, even bouncing back after hurricanes.

When you support Trees That Feed Foundation, you’re not just planting trees. You’re helping solve hunger, poverty, and environmental decline all at once.