The Food Drive
Written and Photographed by Nancy Clover
Thinking about what to have for dinner every day on the surface can seem like a chore, but it is a privilege to have access to food options. Most people take it for granted that they have enough food to eat but that is not true for everyone, including some residents of Melrose.
Wanting to do more to respond to the food insecurity that many of our neighbors experience, Jana and Tony Gimenez founded The Food Drive in 2020 during COVID. Their mission is to connect available food that would have otherwise been wasted from businesses and community sources and deliver it to those in need.
Jana and Tony met at the New England Conservatory of Music and moved to Melrose 23 years ago. Before founding The Food Drive Tony was a classical musician who played the trumpet. Jana was a program manager for the Boston Symphony and then an event planner. They have always possessed a strong sense of social justice and community service.
With about 150 volunteers, they coordinate the distribution of food, seven days a week.
The Food Drive partners with multiple businesses to rescue viable food such as Buckalew’s, Colette’s Bakery, Calareso’s Farm Stand, the Farmers Market, the Bread Shop, Bobby C’s, Giacomos, LaQchera, Mama Jeans, Shaws, Sweet Spot, The Kitchen, and more.
Community groups and individuals who have leftover food from events also donate. There are local nonperishable food donation bins at Beacon Hill Wine, Follow Your Art, Starbucks, Cambridge Saving Bank, Sweet Spot, and Buckalews.
The recovered food is driven by volunteers to local food pantries, senior centers, community dinners, elderly and low-income housing, a warming center, motel shelter programs, and other places where it's needed.
The statistics are astonishing: 365 tons of food distributed, which is about 62,600 meals with a value of $1.2 million. This rescued and surplus food would have ended up in landfills and now finds its way into the bellies of hungry neighbors.
Jana and Tony hope to improve processes to serve more people and add additional rescue sites to keep The Food Drive sustainable. A true family affair, their daughter, Ell, designed the logo and is part of the team as an intern.
Jana’s superpower is persistence. She works to overcome any barriers to rescuing the food and ensures it gets where it is most needed. She is proud of her volunteers and their dedication to the mission and commitment to the community.
How can you support this amazing organization? Attend the Harvest Dinner on Saturday, Nov 9th at Memorial Hall!
To find out more about The Food Drive’s mission and programs, and how you can help go to: thefooddrive.org.
Thank you to Jana, Tony, ELL, and The Food Drive volunteers for all you do for our neighbors.
