By Matthew May, F4 Board Member

The 2026 West Chester Chili Cook-Off welcomed 7,000+ attendees, rescued 800 pounds of food, and provided over 2,000 meals through F4.

On behalf of the Advisory Board of Fiorenza’s Food For Friends (F4), thank you. When the weather pushed the West Chester Chili Cook-Off from October 11 to October 18, many teams, sponsors, and vendors stood with us, and the result was worth the wait: a beautiful fall day in downtown West Chester and one of the most successful Cook-Offs we have ever held. 

2026 BY THE NUMBERS 

7,000+  Attendees

3,485  Tickets Sold

650  Gallons of Chili

2,045  Meals Provided

Your leadership support helped turn a great day of chili into real meals for our neighbors: 

• 800 pounds of leftover chili rescued and donated to local nonprofits, providing 670 meals for neighbors facing food insecurity 
• 1,655 pounds of non-perishable food collected for the West Chester Food Cupboard, providing 1,375 additional meals 
• 16 additional nonprofits hosted on site, each with a tent to share its mission and connect attendees with its services 
• Thousands of conversations about hunger and food waste, started over a bowl of chili 

Every one of those 7,000+ guests saw the teams, vendors, sponsors, and volunteers standing behind that work, visibility that benefits both the people you serve and the people you work with. 

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2027 

F4 does not accept government funding. Our food rescue work depends entirely on partners like you. Because many organizations are finalizing their 2027 budgets now, we are reaching out early for support. We would be honored to have returning sponsors for 2026. Sponsors who confirm early receive first choice of recognition and the longest stretch of promotion leading up to the event. 

#Follow @F4service as we work to #Endhunger and #Foodinsecurity one #Meal at a Time!! #F4service #F4endhunger #F4

www.f4service.org

www.westchesterchilicookoff.com