Cambridge Residents Make a Difference for Food Insecure Residents

Susan Sherman and Linda Mar, longtime neighbors in Cambridge, volunteer together for Food For Free, the leading food rescue and distribution nonprofit dedicated to providing reliable access to fresh and nutritious food to eastern Massachusetts communities. Volunteers for Food For Free help to pack groceries, convert bulk prepared food into single-serve microwavable meals, and deliver food to help strengthen the community food system. This National Volunteer Month, the nonprofit is celebrating Sherman and Mar, who are together making a difference for food insecure residents.

Headquartered in Somerville, Food For Free rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and creates new distribution channels to reach underserved populations in 25 communities across the region. Each week, the nonprofit engages up to 175 volunteers to ensure everyone in the community—regardless of age, income, or ability—has consistent access to fresh, healthy food.

Mar works in finance at MIT and has played the cello as her primary hobby for the past 10 years. She also enjoys hiking, running, reading and knitting when she isn’t volunteering. She began volunteering at Food For Free regularly a year ago after deciding to cut back on her work schedule.

“I had heard about Food For Free a while ago and became more aware of the food insecurity issues in our community, especially since the pandemic,” says Mar. “Having enough food is such a basic element of being able to function every day, and it’s great for Food For Free to provide healthy options for those who need help.”

Sherman worked in children’s book publishing as an art director and book designer for forty years before retiring. When she is not volunteering, she paints in her studio, showing her work at galleries in Cambridge, Somerville, and upstate New York. She enjoys hiking to scenic spots to paint in the summer, and began volunteering at Food For Free after being invited by Mar.

“Everyone is working together in such a simple way to accomplish so much,” shared Sherman. “Packing pallets with big boxes of food gives one a really clear visual of how food insecure our neighbors are. I love that we can help so many families.”

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 nonprofit works with 110 food donors and 153 food distribution partners to bridge fresh food access gaps in communities.

“Volunteers are the heartbeat of Food For Free,” says Jessica Cantin, CEO of Food For Free. “Their unwavering dedication fuels our mission to ensure no one in our community goes hungry. Just as food connects us all, volunteers connect our efforts, bridging gaps and making a tangible impact. Together, we innovate, we serve, and we create a stronger, more nourished community. Thank you to every volunteer who stands with us—your commitment echoes far beyond the meals you help provide.”

As one of the nation’s first food rescue organizations, Food For Free now serves more than 150,000 Massachusetts residents who are food insecure and distributes over 6.2 million pounds of nutritious fresh and prepared foods annually. For more information or to volunteer, visit: www.foodforfree.org.

About Food For Free

Food For Free is a 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. In the last year, Food For Free distributed over 6.2 million pounds of nutritious food to over 25 communities throughout Eastern Massachusetts. To learn more, visit us at www.foodforfree.org, or follow Food For Free on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @foodforfreeorg.