We’re overdue for an introductory post about Krissy Scommegna and Fiona Crimmins! Krissy’s been part-time with us for a year, and Fiona, a former volunteer, just joined us as a fulltime staff member in August. They’re fabulous people, so please enjoy e-meeting both of them:
Fiona: Krissy, how did you first get involved with anti-hunger work?
Krissy: I would say that it all started at a summer camp I went to. There was a mission program for hunger relief, and that’s when I became aware of hunger issues. That was in elementary school. But as an adult it all started this past year in graduate school [at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy].
Last fall I took a course about food justice and got hooked up with Ross at Food For Free. I spent the semester helping him and a group of students implement a system to provide students with emergency meals. I realized I really liked what I was doing so I asked Ross about an internship at Food For Free and they said “we’ll hire you!” So I’ve been working on Family Meals since last September, then Home Delivery since since last May.
Fiona: Can you describe your role here at FFF?
Krissy: I am the Home Delivery Coordinator and I have been working as the Kitchen Manager and Program Assistant for the Family Meals program.
Fiona: What excites you about the Home Delivery Program?
Krissy: We’re looking at people who can’t access food pantries and providing them an option for food that’s great. Like fresh produce from farms, and good food from Amazon. Generally just putting better food in their diet than they would have had otherwise. People come on the program and stay for 10 years, so it shows that people really rely on the program and make it a part of their lives. We’ve been expanding the program and it’s been really great this past month to contact people and tell them they’re off the waiting list.
Fiona: How do you spend your time when you’re not at FFF?
Krissy: I’m a grad student at the Friedman School of Nutritional Science and Policy at Tufts. And I recently took over as the Director of the Somerville Backpack Program.
Otherwise I spend a lot of time cooking and having dinner with friends at my house. Cooking is a really big part of my life, and being able to cook and feed people is what I really enjoy doing.
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Krissy: So Fiona, how did you originally get connected with Food For Free?
Fiona: I saw an ad on Idealist.org asking for volunteer help for last year’s Party Under the Harvest Moon. I knew of Food For Free because I had volunteered with local food pantries and was looking to do more work like that in the hunger relief world.
Krissy: And what is your new role here at Food For Free?
Fiona: I’m the Program Manager for the Family Meals Program. I’m taking over the program and trying to grow it.
Krissy: What did you do before this?
Fiona: I was a high school and middle school Latin teacher for 6 years in Belmont. Before that, I was an editor for different health and wellness publications.
Krissy: What is exciting about this change from being a teacher to working at Food For Free?
Fiona: I get to do work every day that helps people live their lives better and have access to healthy food!
Krissy: What are you most looking forward to about working on the Family Meals Program?
Fiona: I’m looking forward to taking this program that is in its infancy and exploring all the places it can go. I also want to figure out how to maximize its reach to help the most people possible.
Krissy: Just so we can get to know you a little better, what is your favorite food?
Fiona: I can’t say a favorite food, but my favorite cuisine is Indian.
Krissy: And what’s your favorite thing to do for free?
Fiona: Go running!
Krissy: Any other interesting things you want to tell about yourself?
Fiona: I had a pet goat as a child named Abby and I brought her to show and tell in nursery school.
[break for a long discussion about the wonders of pet goats]
Krissy: Welcome to the team, Fiona! We are happy to have you here!
