We are a cross-sector collaboration between leaders dedicated to reducing the health consequences of hunger. H2HC builds alliances with partners who believe that health begins with reliable access to nutritious food.
What We Do
Convene
H2HC convenes nontraditional partner organizations across sectors to engage in candid conversations about food insecurity, system inequities, and their health consequences. H2HC works to foster connections and seek innovative solutions to complex hunger and health challenges.
Advocate
H2HC recognizes that food insecurity and overlapping social determinants of health are complex, systemic issues that require a cross-sector approach and policy solutions. H2HC advocates for food and health policies that advance equity, access, and wellbeing.
Support
H2HC supports innovative ideas, community-based approaches, and research focused on reducing food insecurity and its health consequences.
H2HC Beginnings
H2HC was founded in 2018 by former Stop & Shop President Mark McGowan and Greater Boston Food Bank President and CEO Catherine D’Amato to explore ways to address the “upstream” causes of hunger. They realized that to address the systemic causes of food insecurity and the resulting poor health outcomes, they needed to develop strong collaborative partnerships with other cross-sector leaders and organizations. Along with Stop & Shop, original H2HC members included The Greater Boston Food Bank, McKinsey & Company, Boston Medical Center, the Museum of Science, Health Resources in Action, Babson, Children’s HealthWatch, C&S Wholesale Grocers, and Rasky Partners, Inc.
Please join us as we continue to evolve and grow.
Leadership

President and CEO, The Greater Boston Food Bank
Catherine D’Amato
A tireless advocate for the hungry for more than 40 years, Catherine D’Amato assumed the leadership of The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) in 1995. During her tenure, she has transformed GBFB into a $180 million charitable business and increased GBFB’s distribution from 7.5 million meals a year to more than 82 million healthy meals this past year. She has grown GBFB’s network to include nearly 600 partner food pantries, meal programs and direct distribution sites across the 190 cities and towns across Eastern Massachusetts.
Under D’Amato’s guidance, GBFB has risen to the unprecedented challenge of responding to the surge in hunger due to the COVID-19 pandemic, distributing nearly 100 million pounds in 2020 to GBFB partner agencies that report serving over double the number of people in need. In 2021, GBFB marked its 40th anniversary since its incorporation while also distributing its 1 billionth pound of food which was accelerated by D’Amato’s leadership through the COVID-19 crisis.

President, Stop & Shop
Gordon Reid
Gordon Reid serves as President of Stop & Shop, a great local brand of Ahold Delhaize USA. Founded in 1914, Stop & Shop now has more than 400 stores across the Northeast and employs nearly 60,000 associates.
Prior to joining Stop & Shop in 2019, Gordon Reid served as President of Giant Food and lead the brand to the number one market share position in each of its local markets. Under his leadership, the company made healthy eating easier and affordable, while also transforming the shopping experience with the customer top of mind and growing home delivery in collaboration with Peapod.
Committed to serving the community, Gordon sits on the boards of Partnership for a Healthier America and The Greater Boston Food Bank. He and his wife reside in Boston, Mass.

H2HC, Executive Director
Nicolene Hengen
nhengen@gbfb.org
Nicolene Hengen joined the Hunger to Health Collaboratory (H2HC) as its first executive director in July 2021. Her career has been focused in domestic and international public health and higher education, including work at Beth Israel Lahey Health, MIT, Pathfinder International, and others.
Nicolene is an insightful systems thinker, determined problem solver, and generous coach skilled in envisioning, leading, and managing complex projects, partnerships, and communications for excellent strategic and stakeholder outcomes. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s in public health from Tulane University.
Recent Event
EventsOct 1, 2021
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2021 Special Event: The Economic and Health Impacts of Food Insecurity
The Economic and Health Impacts of Food Insecurity: The Business Community as Changemaker
Event Details