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Community Corner
Food For Free Welcomes Regina Wu to its Board of Directors to Further Food Rescue and Distribution Efforts Across Eastern Massachusetts
Emma Doherty, Community Contributor
NEWTON, Mass – Food For Free, the leading food rescue and distribution organization in Eastern Massachusetts, has appointed Regina Wu 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. Regina will help guide Food For Free to continue to provide reliable access to fresh and nutritious food to Eastern Massachusetts communities.”
Wu met Molly Hansen, Food For Free’s Senior Program Manager, who runs the nonprofit’s Heat-n-Eats program, in 2022 when Hansen was the head of the DISH food pantry at Bunker Hill Community College and Wu was the Board president of the Newton Food Pantry. At that time, the Newton Food Pantry was in the planning stages of opening a pantry at Lasell University. Wu was able to obtain Food For Free’s Heat-n-Eats meals, balanced, single-serving meals that are distributed to food-insecure students, for the food pantry clients. She learned of the Food For Free board opportunity when she was eager to continue volunteering to help food insecure residents. As a Primary Care Physician at Mass General Brigham, Wu sees the impacts of social determinants of health, such as a lack of food access, on people’s ability to receive and maintain quality health care. She understands the key to managing chronic health conditions is eating healthy and nutritious foods. The Newton-resident has volunteered for 12 years at the Newton Food Pantry and eventually became the organization’s Board president. During her tenure, Wu has helped to develop new programming initiatives, such as bringing culturally relevant foods to pantry clients, expanding the hours of operation, opening a 24/7 community fridge, starting a Teen Ambassador Program, and opening two local college food pantries.
Outside of volunteering, the 55-year-old has spent her career in the health care field, working as a Primary Care Physician at Dedham Medical, now Atrius Health Dedham, for 21 years. She joined the Mass General Brigham team in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, Wu received the Myra Kraft Community MVP Award for her dedication to improving her community through volunteerism. She was also selected as one of the 50 Most Influential Business Leaders of Color by the Charles River Chamber of Commerce. In 2021, Wu was awarded the City of Newton Human Rights Award and the Paul Harris Community Service Award issues by the Rotary Club of Newton.
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“If people are given the opportunity to eat healthy, fresh foods, it can change the trajectory of their whole lives,” says Wu. “They can focus on studying, working hard and set the foundation for healthy lifestyles, which can prevent many chronic conditions. Most importantly, they can pursue their passions without worrying about where their next meal is coming from. Preventing waste and rescuing food that would be otherwise thrown away is a tangible way to achieve this goal. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with the incredibly talented and devoted group of leaders on the Food For Free Board of Directors to support our neighbors.”
Food For Free Board of Directors serve for 4 years. Wu 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.