I recently toured We Share Hope in Rumford with their Executive Director, Johanna Corcoran and was super impressed with everything that the marvelous team at this non-profit is doing to help Rhode Islanders experiencing food insecurity right now.

All new today, get to know Johanna, find out her local faves and also how you can help out via their Pantry Pickup program.

My husband and I moved to Rhode Island from the Boston area eighteen years ago. Shortly after the move we had our daughter, and she has grown up in the state. At this point, we feel like native Rhode Islanders! Rhode Island offers all our favorite parts of Boston: theatre, great food, shopping — but with better parking! I have been involved with the nonprofit sector for over twenty years and joining the We Share Hope team has given me an opportunity to be part of an organization with deep roots and a bright future.

LOCAL FAVORITES:

FOOD

I love dining outdoors in the summer. Tree House Tavern in Warwick is our go-to for delicious food and outdoor ambiance. Their open-air farmhouse adorned with greens and twinkle lights creates a ‘secret garden’ atmosphere and the Sweet Potato Pizza is incredible! I also have a lot of great memories from amazing meals at CAV in Providence. Their eclectic decor and incredible food makes for a special experience. If I had to choose a ‘last meal’ it would be CAV’s Seared Chicken with Poached Pears and Asian Chive Dumplings.

SHOPPING

The Fantastic Umbrella Factory in Charlestown feels like shopping in a forest. I love the quirky shops located throughout the property. The gardens are beautiful, and we always visit the resident emus! It’s the perfect place to meander on a spring or summer day.

THINGS TO DO

After almost eighteen years we finally hiked Napatree Point last summer. It was a beautiful, easy walk with incredible ocean views. If you hike out to the tip it’s peaceful and secluded. I’m also a huge fan of WaterFire. The opening ceremony feels so primeval and listening to the music and gazing at the fire is truly relaxing. Believe it or not, many Rhode Islanders have never been!

We Share Hope

We Share Hope is one of Rhode Island’s largest food rescue organizations. We work with retail stores and restaurant suppliers to ‘rescue’ (safe-to-eat) surplus food that would otherwise be disposed of. We then distribute that food to Rhode Islanders struggling with food insecurity. Pantry Pickup is a way for ALL Rhode Islanders to help with this mission; if you have unopened items in your pantry you’re not planning to use, you can fill out a pantry pickup form on our website and a friendly volunteer will pick your items up porch side. The items come back to our warehouse where they’re sorted and distributed to Rhode Islanders living with food insecurity.

To schedule your Pantry Pickup, go to wesharehope.org/pickup.