HISTORY
In 1990, neighbors on Westwood Road in Somerville made their first meal for the Somerville Homeless Coalition’s adult shelter in Davis Square. Each household made one part of the meal with one person coordinating and another responsible for delivery. These Somerville residents cared about the rise of homelessness and wanted to do something to support the work of SHC. For this group of old and young, new neighbors and long-time residents, cooking a dish every month in their own homes was doable and offered a sense of community and connection.
More than two decades later, the same simple model and the same intention to reach out to neighbors continue to be at the core of Community Cooks’ work and mission.
TIMELINE
Documenting our growth and highlighting the progression of our ever-increasing numbers and new partnerships forged over the years.
19908 Cooks
Westwood Road neighbors provide Meal-A-Month for Somerville Homeless Coalition’s adult shelter in Davis Square
1995- 15 Cooks
1997- Good Food Good Friends | On The Rise
2000- 35 Cooks
2003- RESPOND | Schiff Center
2005- 55 Cooks
2007- The Women’s Center | YouthBuild Just A Start
2009- CASPAR | Transition House | Walnut Street Center
2010- 140 Cooks
Wayside Short Stop | St. Patrick’s Shelter
2011- 200 Cooks
Bread of Life | Somerville Mental Health Association (Riverside Day Treatment | Youth on Fire
501(c)(3) application is submitted
2012- 280 Cooks
HAWC | Heading Home | Lowell Transitional Living Center | REACH | Windsor House
501(c)(3) status is approved
2013- 430 Cooks
Books of Hope | Casa Mryna | CCSC@Night | Right Turn | Tutoring Plus
CCooks on the Grid: Bedford Housing Task Force
2014- 520 Cooks
Breakthrough Book Club | Cambridge Weekend Backpack | Mass Bay Veterans Center | Mystic Learning Center | Ruby Rogers Center | The Second Step
2015- 687 Cooks
Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Boston | Bristol Lodge | Dove | East End House | Eliot CBFC | Friday Café | GLBTQ | Parenting Journey | Somerville Backpack Program | The Welcome Project | Walnut Street Center (reinstated)
2016- 780 Cooks
AIDS Action Committee | Cambridge Family & Children’s Services, Malden & Dorcester | Boys & Girls Club, Medford | East End House | Housing Families, Malden | New Communities, Norfolk St. | Serendipity Café, Belmont| Sisters Unchained | Somerville Council on Aging | THRIVE | Voices Against Violence
STAFF OF DIRECTORS
Victoria I, President and Co-Founder
Ian Harper, Vice President
JoAnn Ignelzi, Treasurer
Erin Wise, Secretary
Laura Brewer
Janelle Smart Fisher
Laura Gitelson
Joi Gresham
Dr. Hillary Holloway
Jennifer Lin
Alyssa Napoleon
Jonathan Ripley
Jennifer Tsolas
Jay Yesselman
STAFF
Daniele Levine, Executive Director
Mary Todd
Heather Grunwald
Rachel Andelman
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Debra Balken
David Dolbashian
Anil Gullapalli
Jennifer Harrington
Rachel Jellinek
Alex Jovanovic
Katie Labrador
Maria Ledo
Ellen Manes-Meunier
Sandy Morrow
Andrea Morton
Eric Nestler
Patricia Ng
Sonia Turek
