It was my first Just Eats volunteer box-packing shift, and the distribution floor was busy with groups of volunteers and pallets of fresh produce and dry goods. The energy was amazing. After I approached a team member and asked how I could help, I was quickly assigned to apples and introduced to my partner, a longtime volunteer who was excited and eager to show me how it all works. Towards the end of our time together, I grabbed some apples for the grocery box the line of volunteers was filling and realized that one of the apples had a heart.
A first sign that I am right where I need to be.
If you have driven around one of the communities we serve, then you have likely seen one of our trucks. In the past five weeks since I have arrived, there have been many impactful moments, however, none like my experiences doing a “ride along” with our Logistics Specialists on our food rescue and distribution routes. During these times, I got a front seat view into the front lines of the impact of our mission, from the women’s shelter where we dropped off rescued food for their guests that week, to the low-income housing complex where we delivered a pallet of Just Eats boxes. It was clear to me that we were having an impact, and that members of our team were leading with that impact in mind.
It was also quickly clear to me that Food For Free’s impact extended beyond just the walls of our Packing & Distribution Center on Inner Belt Road in Somerville and our Cambridge roots.
We are part of a larger collective community of partnerships and collaborations, many of which I was invited to participate in during my first 36 days. While all of these engagements were impactful, two stand out because of their personal connection to my own life journey.
The first engagement that stood out to me was the opportunity to attend Project Bread’s Celebration at Fenway Park as Massachusetts became one of eight states to pass legislation ensuring school meals for all. This occasion was significant to me because I was the kid often sent to school without lunch and without the $1.50 to purchase a lunch. It was an amazing night celebrating this statewide victory and again, I was left with a feeling that I was right where I needed to be.
More recently, I attended La Colaborativa’s grand opening of their brand new 30,000 square foot survival center in Chelsea. The night was alive with energy and excitement, and you could feel the love of the 30 plus years it took to build. Prior to my arrival at Food For Free I had worked extensively in New Hampshire in the space of social justice and building systems of support for immigrants in my community throughout my career. Seeing the impressive work of La Colaborativa felt both inspiring and again, like, I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Our partnerships are essential to our success, and so are the 27 communities across Eastern Massachusetts where the magic of our work happens.
On November 19, I participated in the East Cambridge Business Association’s Chicken Run. It was wonderful to share this experience with a few of our team members and members of the community that have supported our work over the years. I did finish the race last; however, I finished the race.
My experience at the race was a good reminder that it does not matter where you begin on a new journey, as long as you start. I am looking forward to this new journey with all of you.
Welcome, Jessica, to your role as CEO of Food For Free! We have all been thoroughly enjoying getting to know you these past several weeks, and are excited to join you as you lead this organization through our next chapter!
