Special to the Times-Free Press
Elsa Flores, of East Boston, has joined Project Bread’s new Council of Experts with Lived Experience, which is designed to engage people who have experiences with food insecurity in conversations to shape the resources and policies that directly impact them. Flores will be among eight inaugural council members who will bring their expertise and co-create 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, and businesses to act against hunger so everyone in the Commonwealth has reliable access to food, using the key lever of policy, prevention and partnerships to implement sustainable solutions to hunger. Through this inaugural 10-month program, Council Members, like Flores, will have the opportunity to be part of strategy development, planning, and decision-making that will strengthen their leadership skills, build their expertise as a community leader and advocate, and provide significant value in co-creating impactful and effective solutions to food insecurity.
“We firmly believe that hunger can be resolved when we collectively share our strategies, and we work together towards solutions informed by the experiences of the people we aim to serve,” says Project Bread Vice President of Engagement, Catalina López-Ospina, a Colombian immigrant who’s seen food insecurity in her own family and made it a mission in her work. “Our vision is for Massachusetts to become the first hunger-free state in the nation. The Council of Experts will play a vital role in helping us to achieve our vision. With their knowledge, input, and ideas, we are confident that we will make significant progress toward impactful, sustainable, and systemic solutions to end hunger in Massachusetts.”
Flores is a Salvadoran mother who lives in East Boston with her husband and three children. As an education professional, Flores is highly motivated, enthusiastic, and dedicated to the success of children and families. She will be working closely with Project Bread’s Child Nutrition Outreach Program on various projects this year. With 11 years of teaching experience in El Salvador and two decades of working with families and children in the Boston community, she is an expert in diverse areas such as math and Spanish literacy, and advocates for linguistic justice and inclusion. Flores has received numerous awards and recognitions from various Boston organizations and political offices for her leadership, volunteer work and community service.
“My childhood instilled in me the value of education, service to others, and fighting to achieve your goals,” says Flores. “Despite difficult situations, my mother never gave up and always worked hard. I’m deeply connected to the public school system, and my children have benefitted from free and reduced-price school meals. As part of the inaugural cohort of the Council, I’m eager to continue my work with Project Bread to help fight food insecurity through community-based solutions.”
The Council of Experts with Lived Experience was curated through a self-nomination system. Individuals who speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole were encouraged to apply. Experts are serving from October 2023 through July 2024, and have committed 10 hours of engagement per month. During their term, council members will not only actively contribute to Project Bread’s key organizational projects but also have the opportunity to enhance their community and civic leadership. This will enable them to advocate for their priorities and those of their communities. The nonprofit’s goal is to empower the community to advocate for effective solutions that meet the needs of all.
This past year, Project Bread led the Feed Kids Coalition in successfully campaigning for the passage of permanent free school meals in Massachusetts, and the nonprofit’s work in schools to expand school breakfast programs and food quality continues. Project Bread is also leading nationally on addressing hunger through the health care system, partnering with health care centers statewide for referrals to their FoodSource Hotline, and individual case management for patients with complex diagnoses facing food insecurity. The Council of Experts will advise on these programs and policies, and more, to increase food security statewide.
For more information, visit: https://www.projectbread.org/council-of-experts.
Project Bread, the leading statewide anti-hunger nonprofit, 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.