Our Community:
The Actively Engaged
Cooking for Community is a collective impact initiative involving multiple partners across different sectors - restaurants, farms and fisheries, social service agencies, local government, foundations, businesses, coalition groups, volunteers and donors - who together are providing a solution to a multifaceted need that, during these unprecedented times, no single one has the capacity to deliver alone.
Those actively engaged in our work include:
1) Our individual Organizers- volunteers who put in long hours orchestrating the day to day of weekly operations, development and planning
2) Partners- including restaurants, caterers, social service agencies, business sponsors, government entities and other coalitions and organizations- that join their expertise and forces to carry out our work in the community
3) Our Brain Power Collective- people who tune in regularly with oversight, wisdom and guidance.
Please join us. There is a place at the table for everyone.
Organizers
Communications and Development
Ellie Linen Low, Organization and Strategy
Randi Hogan, Philanthropy and Giving Partnerships
Nancy Sun, Operations and Business Infrastructure
Kris Knight, Marketing and Communications
Joy Ash, Finance and Accounting
Beth Taylor, Creative Design and Branding
York-Chi Harder, Corporate Counsel
Elizabeth Peavey, Story Guide
Kristin Valdmanis, Community Development
Haven Low, Social Media Manager
Emily Sun, Ella Altidor & Haven Low, Youth Ambassadors
Operations
Dr. Caroline Teschke, Agency Partnership Lead
Ian and Kate Malin, Production and Operations Lead
Ilma Lopez, Chef and Advisor
Allison Casey, Operations Coordinator
Kelsey Keller, Operations Coordinator
Emily Sun, Agency Partners Liaison
Leslie Oster, Director of the Blaine House
Partners
Chaval
Little Giant
Gather
Mr. Tuna
Union
Istanbul Cafe
Mama Mo’s
Zu Bakery
Nura
Mainely Burgers
Maggie Mae’s
Broad Arrow Farm
Farmers Gate Market
Fork Food Lab
Rosemont Market and Bakery
Bread and Butter Catering
Catholic Charities Maine
Preble Street
Amistad
The Opportunity Alliance
Wayside Food Program
Bath Housing
Long Creek Youth Development Center
My Place Teen Center
YMCA of Southern Maine
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine
Farms for Food Equity
Maine Food for Thought
Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce
Portland Food Map
Portland Downtown
Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG)
Brain Power Collective
Tory Ryden, Tory Ryden Communications
Winky Lewis, Winky Lewis Photography
Warren Valdmanis, Financial Consultant
Brian Eng, Business Advisor
Anne Wade, Impact Investing
Tarlan Ahmadov, State Refugee Coordinator, Catholic Charities Maine
Sarah & Bryce Hach, Maine Food For Thought
Andrew Butcher, Director of Innovation and Resilience, GPCOG
Kate Schier-Potocki, Owner, Bread and Butter Catering
Barton Seaver, Chef and Sustainable Seafood Advocate
Susan Onion, Onion Foundation
Casey Gilbert, Portland Downtown
Mark Jablonowski, DSPolitical
Jean Wiecha PhD, Program Design and Evaluation
Anestes Fotiades, Portland Food Map
Penny Jordan, Farms for Food Equity
Kristen Miale, Good Shepherd Food Bank
Margo Walsh, Maine Works
Amy Kayne, 2Gether Private Chefs
Dr. Matt Wetherell, Portland Family Medicine
Sarah Plimpton, Finish Line Consulting
Justin Burkhardt, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare
Carol Wishcamper, Organizational Consultant
Phil Walsh, Maine Initiatives
Jennifer Levin, Gulf of Maine Sashimi
Matt Chappell, Owner, Gather
Gray Harris, Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
John Kelly, Kelly, Remmel and Zimmerman
Susanne Lee, University of Maine’s Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions
