Message to Agency Partners from Catherine D’Amato
Dear GBFB Agency Partners,
I wanted to extend my deepest thanks for your partnership during my more than 30 years leading GBFB.
As I transition, I’m taking stock of what we’ve achieved. Together, we’ve provided hundreds of millions of meals to neighbors across Eastern Massachusetts, impacting lives, families, and communities for the better. Over these years a lot has happened to challenge how we feed people. There were recessions, government shutdowns, inflation up, inflation down, threats to federal nutrition programs, an unprecedented pandemic, and now, constant federal government policy changes. Together, we weathered so many expected and unexpected challenges. But I also remember our wins: healthier food, the Food is Medicine movement, the growth of MEFAP to buy local food from farm and fisheries, free school meals, Breakfast After the Bell, the Governor’s Anti-Hunger Task Force, committed donors, and the voices of the hungry empowered to speak as we listen and move forward together. And we finally had a national conference on hunger in Washington, D.C.
At each moment, we have grown, innovated, and found new ways to support more people. Thank you for taking this journey with me.
Starting on October 1, Carl Howell joins GBFB as its next President and CEO, bringing with him heart, experience, and a fresh perspective to our work. I will remain at GBFB to support Carl in an advisory role until the end of December to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
I am filled with gratitude and hope for the work ahead of our movement. The power to end hunger relies on the continued collaboration of GBFB and the Agency Partner network. It relies on you and your leadership in each of your communities.
You, your teams, and the massive numbers of volunteers in your programs must continue to drive common sense and compassion in our policies at all levels: local, state, and federal.
Make every day a day of difference for someone, by making food security what we discuss and feel proud about.
Thank you for all you do, and will do, for our neighbors in need.
With gratitude,
Catherine D’Amato
