Sunlight poured into the ballroom at the Hawthorne Hotel as community members, partners, and supporters gathered for The Salem Pantry’s 2025 Annual Impact Breakfast.
Together, we shared our 2024 Impact Report and heard from local leaders whose words reminded us why this work matters. City of Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo, State Senator Joan Lovely, and Christina Peretti from The Greater Boston Food Bank each spoke to the importance of collaboration in addressing food insecurity and the need to meet people with care and dignity.
We also took a moment to recognize four outstanding individuals and organizations whose dedication has helped expand access to nutritious food across the North Shore.
Leadership Award: Bonnie Henry
Bonnie Henry played a vital role in shaping The Salem Pantry as it exists today. As a longtime board member and former board chair, she helped lead the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and supported a period of significant growth. Her thoughtful leadership strengthened our infrastructure and deepened our impact in the Greater Salem area. Bonnie’s guidance set the framework for the impact we were able to make in 2024.
Business Partner of the Year: A&J King Artisan Bakers
A&J King Artisan Bakers has long been a generous neighbor and enthusiastic supporter of The Salem Pantry. They were among the first businesses to join The October Club, our annual initiative that invites Salem businesses to show their support during the busiest month of the year. Their commitment doesn’t stop there; through their own Neighbors Loaves program, A&J King offers customers the chance to purchase fresh loaves of bread to be donated to the pantry. In 2024 alone, they donated more than 8,500 pounds of bread. Their support helps ensure our guests have access to fresh, locally made food every week.
Community Partner of the Year: Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital
Our partnership with Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital is grounded in shared values around food access, health, and community. Together, we launched our first Pop-Up Pantry at their North Shore Physicians Group location. Since then, they have become an essential partner, bringing their Community Care Van to our sites to offer on-site services like blood pressure and diabetes screenings, health education, and care kits. We have also collaborated on initiatives that connect food access with health through nutrition-focused programs and a food is medicine approach. Their involvement continues to shape how we nourish and care for our community.
Anne Fox, Community Health Senior Program Manager, and Maureen Kay, Care Van Operations Manager
Volunteer of the Year: Joe Markarian
Joe Markarian is the kind of volunteer every organization hopes for. He has been a steady and essential part of The Salem Pantry’s volunteer team for years, supporting our work three days a week, collecting bread donations, stocking The Truck, and assisting at Pop-Up Pantries across Salem. His reliability, focus, and deep commitment allow us to serve our community with care and consistency. Joe’s continued presence is key to our operations week to week.
A shared commitment to community
Each of this year’s honorees reflects the values at the heart of The Salem Pantry’s mission. Their contributions are helping to build a more equitable regional food system, grounded in collaboration and care.
Thank you to everyone who attended this year’s breakfast and helped make it such a meaningful gathering.
Curious about what we achieved in 2024 and what was shared at the breakfast? Check out our 2024 Impact Report!