Roxbury Resident Joins Project Bread’s 2025 Council of Experts

ROXBURY, Mass. – Janin Otero, of Roxbury, has joined Project Bread’s 2025 Council of Experts with Lived Experience. Launched in 2023, the Council of Experts was founded to challenge exclusionary systems that perpetuate food insecurity by ensuring that those with lived experience of hunger inform and shape Project Bread’s decision-making, strategy, and policy initiatives as trusted community leaders. Otero will be among seven new Council members who will bring their expertise to shape programs and policies that make it easier for others living in Massachusetts to access and afford food with dignity.

Project Bread is the leading statewide food security organization in Massachusetts with a radical approach to ending hunger. The nonprofit engages residents, elected officials, service providers, and businesses to act against hunger and empower communities, so everyone in the Commonwealth has reliable access to food. Through the 10-month program, Otero will have the opportunity to be part of the nonprofit’s strategy development and anti-hunger advocacy while receiving training to strengthen her leadership skills, build expertise as a community leader and advocate, and provide significant value in advancing impactful and effective solutions to food insecurity.

“We firmly believe that hunger can be solved through collective action,” says Project Bread Vice President of Engagement Catalina López-Ospina. “The Council of Experts plays a vital role in helping us to achieve our vision to make Massachusetts a hunger-free state, while taking an inclusive approach focused on food justice and individual autonomy. With their advocacy, perspectives, and community knowledge, we are confident that our Council members will help drive significant progress toward systemic solutions to end food insecurity across the Commonwealth.”

Otero understands firsthand the stigma associated with food insecurity. One day when she was at her children’s pediatrician office, she felt humbled to share that her own family needed food assistance. Now, she wants to help others seek resources. Otero was a previous client in Project Bread’s Health Care Partnerships program. Once referred by her doctor to the program, she received gift cards and small kitchen appliances, which helped her when her SNAP benefits ran out each month. Encouraged to apply by a member of Project Bread’s 2023-24 Council of Experts, Kelly Russell, Otero joins the 2025 Council of Experts to help provide that same support and encouragement to others. A strong believer in how mental health is tied to food insecurity, she hopes to share insights with others on how food stability can support mental wellbeing.

“We need a more nuanced understanding of food insecurity and community need than what is often shown in the media,” says Otero. “On the Council of Experts, I want to learn about others’ experiences, understand the diverse challenges faced by different communities, and amplify voices that often go unheard to become a better advocate for myself and my community.”

The Council of Experts with Lived Experience was curated through a self-nomination system. Experts serve from March through December 2025, committing 10 paid hours per month. During this time, Council members will have the opportunity to learn about Project Bread's role as a leader in the anti-hunger movement and drive change within their communities and across Massachusetts.

For more information, visit: https://www.projectbread.org/council-of-experts.

About Project Bread
Project Bread, the leading statewide food security organization in Massachusetts, connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible—so that no one goes hungry. For more information, visit: www.projectbread.org.