Connect. Elevate. Celebrate!
MISSION
SBN’s Boston Local Food Program elevates the local food system through events, coalition building, and programming. Choosing local food in New England positively impacts the environment (through shortening the distance food travels, as well as the stewardship of local farmers and fishermen), the local economy, and individual health and wellness. We collaborate with local businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and individuals to elevate the local food makers across the food system.
HISTORY
SBN’s Boston Local Food Program started in 2009 with a vision of supporting New England’s agricultural and food industries through the first Boston Local Food Festival and Local Food Trade Show. Our mission is to support the growth of local food producers, farmers, and entrepreneurs, thereby supporting local communities, individuals, and the environment.
Since that first start, the Boston Local Food Program has expanded to include awareness raising in support of local food businesses, including the Eat Local Always seasonal campaigns as well as wholesale and technical support for local food businesses, including a variety of wholesale-related workshops, networking opportunities, and resources.
Every year, we uplift hundreds of New England farmers, fishermen, food and beverage makers, and other food businesses; and engage tens of thousands of individuals across the city and region, across communities and backgrounds, to come together to support and strengthen our local food system. The Boston Local Food Program has become a vital resource for those who seek to participate in and strengthen our region's vibrant local food ecosystem.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Statement
The Boston Local Food Program, a program of SBN, values diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential to our mission. Only with a diverse and inclusive team that feels a sense of belonging every day will we reach our vision of co-creating local food systems that are equitable and sustainable. While we have more work to do to advance these values within our organization, we are investing in doing the work to move our organizational culture forward. SBN believes in a top-down DEI approach, with an active and engaged SBN leadership that is majority BIPOC and/or women, leading the organization in recruitment, training, promotion, retention, and inclusion. This provides a leadership that can support a diverse staff in bringing their full-self to the table.
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Kerry Kokkinogenis
Local Food Program Director
Since graduating with an M.A. in Health Communication in 2008, Kerry has sought to address health disparities in a variety of ways, including studying and addressing the bigger-picture factors that impact health and wellness, including food, strong local communities, and economic opportunities. In 2016, Kerry opened a local-focused, brick-and-mortar food store selling only food grown or produced in the Northeast Region, and more recently, pivoted to a farm-to-home delivery model. After joining the SBN team in April 2023, Kerry has been employing the skills and experiences of those varied endeavors to support local food businesses, farmers, and fisheries with SBN.
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Karuna Salve
Local Food Program Manager
karuna@sbnmass.org
Karuna holds a Master’s from the Friedman School at Tufts University. She brings over eight years of experience in food systems and nutrition research to the team. Her previous work includes supporting community-based flour fortification programs in India, conducting food security research in Jordan, and serving as a research assistant at the Tufts University Nutrition Innovation Lab. In her current role, she will be supporting our Director to manage and execute our flagship events like Boston Local Food Festival and Local Food Trade Show