Melissa Cherney, the new chief executive officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank (RICFB), was raised on a family farm in North Dakota. This meant her family’s income depended on the weather. “I had experiences with hunger when we had tough years,” she explains. Growing up as a “free lunch kid” and receiving benefits in college through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) gave her a firsthand understanding of food insecurity. “This propelled my passion to work in food banks, and I found my calling in hunger relief. It’s where my heart is and where I know I can make the biggest difference.”
For 18 years, Cherney climbed the ranks at the Great Plains Food Bank, the only food bank in North Dakota that partners with more than 200 food pantries and soup kitchens statewide. She started working with local food pantries to help with food safety, build capacity, and ensure they met all requirements to receive donations. During that time, Cherney helped develop the BackPack Program, Mobile Food Pantry, and SNAP Outreach, all aimed at reaching families that weren’t already being served yet needed assistance. After serving as the president for a year alongside the CEO, she learned the ropes before becoming the CEO of the Great Plains Food Bank in 2021.
Rhode Island wasn’t a thought on Cherney’s mind until a recruitment team at the RICFB reached out to fulfill their top executive position. “I never want to shy away from a challenge, and I had nothing to lose by visiting to learn about the opportunity,” says Cherney. “When I got to Rhode Island, I fell in love with it.” Now, after a few months in the role, Cherney has no regrets. “Every day brings something new and challenging.” In her role, Cherney oversees the logistics of food acquisition and distribution, organizes fundraising, and works closely with federal and state government agencies to secure funding to support low-income families.
RICFB operates as a statewide network recovering surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. By partnering with retailers, farmers, growers, and manufacturers, the bank operates an online shopping system that allows nearly 150 food pantries to place orders for delivery or pickup. “We’re seeing an all-time high every single month with 89,000 Rhode Islanders needing food assistance,” says Cherney. “Our staff works tirelessly to distribute 18 million pounds of food a year across the state, which is higher than even at the height of the pandemic.”
With food supply quantities decreasing, donations are spread thin, leaving less food to provide to the growing number of families in need. Turning toward the holiday season, donations are needed more than ever to keep food bank doors open and the community fed. “When we think about the holidays, so often our memories are tied to family and food,” explains Cherney. “We’re looking for people to donate time, talent, and treasure to help ensure that Rhode Islanders – and especially children have a happy holiday and that all our families have enough food to make those special moments possible.”
“When you think about the network of the food bank – the hundreds of thousands of people committed to hunger relief and the power behind everyone lifting up their voice and sharing their time – it’s quite powerful,” says Cherney. “Every agency is dialed in and looking at how to personalize hunger relief for every person who needs help.”
East Greenwich: Volunteer at the East Greenwich Interfaith Food Cupboard. StLukesEG.org
Narragansett: Volunteer at the community market. StPetersByTheSea.com
North Kingstown: Volunteer at the food pantry. NKFoodPantry.org
Peace Dale: Volunteer at the Jonnycake Center food bank, JonnycakeCenter.org
Learn more at RIFoodBank.org/get-involved
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