This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.
Community Corner
Food For Free Welcomes Juan Camilo Saavedra to its Board of Directors to Further Food Rescue and Distribution Efforts Across Eastern Mass.
Emma Doherty, Community Contributor
JAMAICA PLAIN, Mass – Food For Free, the leading food rescue and distribution organization in Eastern Massachusetts, has appointed Juan Camilo Saavedra to the nonprofit’s Board of Directors. Board members of the organization leverage their expertise and connections to advance the Food For Free’s work to minimize food waste and increase food security in the community.
Through a combination of food program support and direct service offerings, Food For Free uses partnerships, innovation and logistics to strengthen the community food system. The organization rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and creates new distribution channels to reach underserved populations in communities across the region. The nonprofit is a proud member of the Make Hunger History Coalition, the first of its kind to convene policymakers, community leaders, philanthropists, business leaders, service providers and people with lived experience with food insecurity to permanently solve hunger in Massachusetts.
“Food insecurity isn’t just a lack of access to food, it’s a lack of access to nutrition,” says Jessica Cantin, Food For Free CEO. “Food waste and food security go hand in hand. They can form a solution together. Juan will help guide Food For Free to continue to provide reliable access to fresh and nutritious food to Eastern Massachusetts communities.”
Saavedra first connected with Food For Free in 2023 while working as Director of Food and Nutrition at La Colaborativa, a Latina-led community-based organization in Chelsea. Food For Free partnered with La Colaborativa to source food for its food access programs, a collaboration that resonated deeply with Saavedra’s commitment to addressing food insecurity. With over seven years of experience in rural development across Colombia, Peru, and Mexico, Saavedra has worked with communities to create sustainable livelihood strategies rooted in cultural values and agroecological principles. Since moving to the U.S. four years ago, he has been inspired by the food justice movements in Greater Boston and their potential to transform systemic inequities in the food system.
Saavedra leads efforts at La Colaborativa to improve equitable access to nutritious foods and nutrition education, prioritizing physical access, cultural relevance, environmental sustainability, and affordability. His work aligns closely with Food For Free’s mission of reducing food waste while addressing hunger, particularly within immigrant communities disproportionately affected by systemic inequities. Saavedra holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Universidad Externado de Colombia and a Master’s in Rural Development from El Colegio de La Frontera Sur in Mexico. Now a resident of Jamaica Plain, Saavedra has recently become a parent and is eager to contribute to local community initiatives, including organizing culturally relevant celebrations and engaging with his neighborhood school.
Find out what's happening in Jamaica Plainfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“Food is at the core of family well-being and health,” says Saavedra. “The systemic inequities in the US food systems are tremendous and disproportionately affect and devastate immigrant families. In addition to this, the levels of food waste generated in the US food system are heartbreaking. No one should go hungry in a city like Boston, one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Food For Free provides meaningful solutions to hunger and food waste, and I am thrilled to join their Board of Directors to support their vital work and help build a more equitable food system.”
Food For Free Board of Directors serve for 4 years. Saavedra will work alongside 12 other board members who are committed to serving the nonprofit to help to advance the nonprofit’s mission, support strategic goals, and provide governance to the organization.
Founded in 1981 as one of the nation’s first food rescue organizations, Food For Free now serves more than 132,000 Massachusetts residents facing food insecurity and distributes 6.2 million pounds of nutritious fresh and prepared foods annually. For more information, to register to volunteer and to make a donation, visit: www.foodforfree.org.
About Food For Free:
Food For Free is a Cambridge and Somerville-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing eastern Massachusetts with reliable access to fresh and nutritious food. Food For Free accomplishes its mission through food rescue, partnerships with schools, colleges, and community food programs, and our own direct service programs. To learn more, visit us at www.foodforfree.org, or follow Food For Free on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram @foodforfreeorg.
The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?