Reflections from GBFB’s 2024-2025 Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow from The Congressional Hunger Center

Written by James Ziegeweid, GBFB’s 2024-2025 Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow from The Congressional Hunger Center

Before starting at The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), I pictured it as a sprawling warehouse filled with shelves lined with dusty cans of beans. On my first day at GBFB, this perception was turned completely upside down. Entering the Yawkey Distribution Center for the first time, I was amazed by the aisles of fresh produce, fridges filled with eggs, and overall thousands of pounds of food destined for GBFB’s Agency Partners across Eastern Massachusetts.

Through the Congressional Hunger Center, I was placed at GBFB as a part of their Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship. The Hunger Center develops and connects leaders in the movement to end hunger, and I was fortunate enough to work on GBFB’s Public Policy team. Over five months, I had the opportunity to work with and learn from passionate individuals who have helped me become a better advocate and person.

Between the high cost of living and rising inflation, 1 in 3 of our neighbors in the Commonwealth faced food insecurity in the past year. As the largest hunger relief organization in New England, GBFB has been a leader in the work to end hunger here. From food distribution to helping our neighbors enroll in SNAP, GBFB’s work touches the lives of over a million individuals annually.

Much of my work focused on helping GBFB identify public policy priorities to advance our mission to end hunger for the upcoming legislative session. Meeting with community food assistance partners, state legislators, and coalition partners, and using data from GBFB’s 2024 Food Equity and Access Report, we created a comprehensive set of public policies that address the root causes of hunger and poverty that the team plans to advance in the 2025-2026 legislative session. I also supported the Massachusetts Hunger Free Campus Coalition, co-led by GBFB, and created an advocacy toolkit. Between attending the Leveraging Partnerships for Health Equity event at Fenway Park, participating in the MA Food Systems Collaborative’s Food System Forum in Worcester, and joining countless coalition meetings, I learned from leaders across Massachusetts.

As I reflect on my time at GBFB, I look forward to my next chapter at the Food Research and Action Center. I will forever be grateful for the mentorship I received and the friendships I built at GBFB. Whether advocating for equitable policies, volunteering at a hunger-relief organization, or hosting a food drive, we all have a role to play in ending hunger here.