Connecticut Foodshare Adds New Directors; Provided Food Totaling 39 Million Meals in 2022

Connecticut Foodshare distributed enough food last year to provide nearly 39 million meals through a network of more than 650 food pantries, community kitchens, and mobile food distribution sites, while also working on long-term solutions to food insecurity.

Thousands of volunteers help power the work of Connecticut Foodshare, and last year, they gave nearly 47,000 hours of service.  Connecticut Foodshare is the food bank serving the people of Connecticut and a member of the national Feeding America network.

Connecticut Foodshare has recently elected four local and national leaders to its Board of Directors.

 “With the recent launch of our Community Impact Plan, these new members of the Board will be instrumental in helping to implement the building blocks for the future of this organization. We are excited to welcome them and look forward to their leadership and partnership these next few years as we continue to strengthen our foundation to better serve our neighbors,” said Jason Jakubowski, President and CEO of Connecticut Foodshare.

Jennifer Brogan is the Director of External Communications & Community Relations for Stop & Shop in Quincy, MA. She has held this role since 2018. Jennifer oversees all public relations initiatives for the brand and its 400 plus store locations.

Over 90 of those locations are in Connecticut. Brogan developed a new charitable giving strategy for the Stop & Shop brand to drive increased community engagement and customer awareness around Stop & Shop’s commitment to the communities it serves. Stop & Shop has been a strong supporter of the food bank for many years and is the presenting sponsor of the upcoming Connecticut Foodshare Walk Against Hunger.

Jered Bruzas is the Chief Impact Officer of United Way of Greater Waterbury. Bruzas has worked in the greater Waterbury community for over a decade. Early in his career he was a case manager at Saint Vincent DePaul Mission Shelter, Inc., the largest shelter in Connecticut and a partner program of Connecticut Foodshare. He has collaborated directly with clients on housing, money management, evaluation of treatments, job placement, food insecurity, and connecting people to other services. Jered’s experience is a blend of leadership and collaborating with people who need help. Jered serves on numerous boards and committees throughout the state focused on expanding resources in our communities.

Jamie McDonald is co-owner of Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, a Navy veteran, and a former UTC engineer. Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ is located in Connecticut as well as Asheville, North Carolina. McDonald has assisted disaster relief, community-building and charitable actions in Connecticut and nationally – most recently helping to feed refugees from Ukraine in partnership with World Central Kitchen. Jamie is also involved in Linked4Life, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about mental health issues and suicide prevention.

Kayla Reasco is Vice President of Public Affairs for Intersect Public Solutions, a public relations firm based in Hartford. Prior to joining Intersect she has worked in government and politics at the federal, state, and local levels for the past 10 years. She has worked with leaders on both sides of the aisle, helping to develop policy, cultivate relationships, and manage public-facing events and messaging. Reasco has worked and partnered with Connecticut Foodshare during her time serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Hartford and previously as Outreach Director for Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, Outreach Assistant to U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.

To learn more visit www.ctfoodshare.org