My friends,

Thank you for welcoming me to Philabundance as the new Chief Executive Officer. I am joining this organization with a mixture of pride and humility. For 35 years, Philabundance has worked for the unheard. It has provided sustenance to those who, for whatever circumstances, could not fulfill their families’ most basic need: food. I am proud to carry on this work, humbled by the task at hand, and am honored by your demonstrated belief in our mission to drive hunger from our communities today and to end hunger for good.

I came to Philabundance first and foremost to help people. Throughout my career, from education to city government to organizations across the nonprofit sector, I have dedicated myself to public service. Now more than ever, hundreds of thousands of people across the Delaware Valley don’t know where their next meal will come from, and they are fearful. Together we are in a position to help one another.

I was probably attracted to Philabundance by many of the same qualities that attract you, as well: its proven record of success, and its stellar reputation in the community. For decades, Philabundance has delivered on its mission to meet a critical need for our region’s most vulnerable citizens. In my short time here, I have witnessed countless examples of my colleagues’ integrity and efficiency – they pour their hearts into our mission, refuse to cut corners, and take pains to make sure our work is done right, with kindness,compassion and above all, dignity.

Their dedication has allowed Philabundance to build an impressively wide network of volunteers, supporters, and community partners, all while growing awareness of our organization and the problem of food insecurity in our region. We continue to attract new partners to our work, from small food pantries in church basements to regional food banks with resources to share. We can continue to leverage our reputation as an authority on issues surrounding food security to build a broad base of support for advocacy and strategic collaborations.

What really sealed the deal for me was Philabundance’s audacious, ambitious aim to end hunger for good. The organization’s recent commitment to address the root causes of food insecurity by partnering across systems to address poverty is bold, and I have witnessed successes when diverse organizations and people convene to tackle a problem collectively. I am excited to help Philabundance make connections throughout the region that will further this work.

Of course, none of our efforts are possible without you. Your decision to invest in our mission – amidst a global pandemic and an economic crisis – represents a true commitment to our shared belief that no one deserves to go hungry. I want to honor that commitment, and to do that I want to hear from you. We are stronger together, and I welcome your ideas, your questions, your concerns, and – I hope – your friendship.

One day, hopefully soon, we will be able to come together as we did before. I look forward to the time I can meet many of you in person, and thank you for your loyalty to our mission and the tremendous work you have enabled in our fight against hunger.

Our work together is just getting started.

Yours in service,

Loree D. Jones
Chief Executive Officer, Philabundance