The Greater Boston Food Bank
Karen Chisholm is an experienced professional with a strong background in volunteer and program management, currently serving as the Volunteer Program Manager at Springwell, Inc., since April 2018, while also contributing as a Volunteer Associate at The Greater Boston Food Bank since September 2016. Karen has a history of teaching English as a second language through various roles, including a Substitute Teacher at The Boston Language Institute. Previous leadership experience includes directing the MACC AmeriCorps*VISTA Program and serving as an AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader with Massachusetts Campus Compact. Early career roles include program coordination in sustainable agriculture and administration with the World Affairs Council of Boston, as well as impactful service with the Peace Corps in livestock development. Karen holds a Master's degree in International Affairs and Development Studies from Ohio University and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, along with a TEFL certificate.
The Greater Boston Food Bank
The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. GBFB distributes over 60 million lbs of food annually, enough to provide healthy meals to more than 500,000 people who are food insecure in Eastern Massachusetts. GBFB acquires food through food industry product donations, food drives and financial contributions that enable us to purchase additional high nutrient quality food. We also benefit from the generosity of over 25,000 volunteers annually who help to sort and distribute donated food products. GBFB works to acquire, store, organize and distribute food through local food pantries, community meal programs, homeless and residential shelters, youth programs, senior centers, and day-care centers embedded in communities throughout the nine counties of eastern Massachusetts. GBFB’s food assistance locator provides an easy way for people in need to find help nearby. GBFB also distributes food directly to those in need through dedicated programs that serve particularly vulnerable groups, such as seniors and children. Since 2009, GBFB has operated out of a state-of-the-art, 117,000 square foot food distribution facility, the Yawkey Distribution Center, located in the Newmarket section of Boston. The Greater Boston Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization.