Supporting nonprofits critical to the foundation’s 25-year mission

By Michelle Xiarhos Curran

On May 16, 2024, the clouds threatened rain for much of the day. But in the hours leading up to the annual celebration for Salem-based nonprofit Root, the skies cleared, revealing a bright sun that coated the treetops surrounding New Entry Farm in Beverly in a dazzling golden light.

Hundreds of Root supporters made their way into the farm’s stunning red barn, decorated with twinkling lights and fresh flowers. They were there to celebrate the nonprofit’s mission of helping young adults find independence through food service training. Tamara, a 2023 graduate of Root’s culinary training program, stepped up to the podium.

“I came to Root to improve my culinary skills and use the skills and experience to open my own soul food restaurant one day,” Tamara said to enthusiastic applause. “Root has definitely boosted my confidence in cooking.”

Tamara was introduced to Root through her involvement with YouthBuild North Shore, a workforce development program run by the North Shore Community Development Coalition. At the podium, she spoke about mastering knife skills, obtaining her ServSafe manager certification, being hired by Root as a program assistant and learning the invaluable skill of facing challenges head on.

“And now here I am sharing my story with 200 of my new best friends,” she said.

Tamara is one of 198 trainees that Root has graduated – eager and career-ready – from its culinary training program since its inception in 2017. And they each have a story to tell about how Root has impacted their life.

“With Root, they have the necessary tools to get me to a place that I didn’t think I’d be able to get to before on my own,” said Matt, another 2023 graduate of the program. “They just help you get off your feet and if you really need that big push and if you’re struggling, it’s a very good place to go to start.”

Root’s own journey – from an idea inspired by a program across the world to the community-centered, systems-based organization it has become today – is a story closely intertwined with ECCF’s because the foundation has championed the nonprofit since its start.

“The reason I was able to move it forward at all was because of ECCF,” said Jennifer Eddy, the founder of Root who was inspired to help young people find a path to success.

From Conception to Reality

In 2014, Eddy, a former trader on Wall Street and trained chef, visited Haven, a Cambodian culinary training restaurant that creates pathways for orphaned and abandoned children to transition from institution to the real world. There, she heard first-hand how the program worked and the impact that it was having on young people.

“It was one of those moments where you get goosebumps,” said Eddy, who referred to that trip as a transformative experience.

And she thought about it for over a year. Eddy, who had opened a charitable fund with ECCF in 2015, wasn’t originally considering starting her own nonprofit. But after a visit to New Orleans and Liberty’s Kitchen, another culinary training and social enterprise program that ultimately served as a model for Root, she knew this type of work could have a huge impact in Essex County.

It was the thought of sustaining such an endeavor that sometimes kept her up at night.

“We needed a fiscal sponsor,” said Jon Payson, a friend of Eddy’s and a Root volunteer who was, at the time, also ECCF’s board chair. “ECCF didn’t do fiscal sponsorships, but the foundation was eager to explore how it could expand its impact and leadership role in the region and Root had the potential to bridge a lot of gaps in Essex County.”

ECCF made the decision to support Root by acting as its fiscal sponsor, and for a year (Root received its official 501(C)3 nonprofit status in 2016), the foundation provided fiduciary oversight, financial management and a variety of other administrative services to help Root build its capacity. Root’s early partnership with ECCF – which by then had strong, established relationships in the local nonprofit sector – also helped Root build a presence in the community.

“The affiliation with ECCF lent credibility to the work we were doing at Root,” said Payson, who currently serves on both the Root and ECCF boards. “And since Root was becoming a known quantity, when ECCF had fund advisors who were interested in supporting job training or food security, the foundation could confidently connect the two.”

“ECCF really helped us make strong, meaningful connections,” said Eddy, who also regularly leveraged the networking and capacity-building opportunities offered through ECCF’s annual Institute for Trustees. “From every angle, ECCF has kind of been there. To this day, the foundation is a very good friend of ours.”

Navigating Systems Change Together

Root’s partnership with ECCF began at a time when ECCF was just beginning to embark on its journey towards systems philanthropy. By 2016, ECCF had released a new data website, Impact Essex County, which tracks the health of the region, and the foundation was actively strategizing a new way to solve countywide challenges: from their roots and through a lens of connectedness. At the same time, as Eddy was preparing to find a home for Root, she began working collaboratively with local mayors, schools and other organizations.

In this way, ECCF and Root have really grown up in this new era of community problem-solving together.

“There was, and continues to be, a lot of synergy in the relationship between ECCF and Root,” said Payson.

In addition to effectively supporting young people searching for a pathway to independence, a big part of Root’s success lies in its burgeoning capacity to expand its role in regional problem-solving. At no other time did this become more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Root began to employ program alumni to prepare meals for the increasing number of people facing food insecurity. This program – which continues today and relies heavily on partnerships with local farms, food pantries and social service organizations – has empowered the preparation of more than 100,000 meals for residents in need.

“All of a sudden, we’re starting to look at this work, and we’re saying, ‘this is a systemic way to solve more than one problem.’ This is resilience,” said Payson. “If it hadn’t been for ECCF, Root would not have been able to accomplish many of the things we’ve done.”

Root was one of 34 nonprofits to receive federal funding administered by ECCF in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic to continue and expand this type of systems-based food insecurity work.

“I’m really excited about Root’s future,” Executive Director Allison Caffrey said in a video interview for the organization’s 2024 celebration. “We have built a track record of success over the past couple of years, and we are poised to grow and have an even bigger impact in the local community.”

Throughout its 25-year history, ECCF has been committed to strengthening and supporting nonprofits like Root as part of the foundation’s core mission. Whether through grants, capacity-building opportunities or partnerships that help an organization realize its full potential, ECCF has, and will continue to be there to support the region’s robust nonprofit sector.

“Empowering nonprofits to meet their missions is a critical piece of our systemic approach to solving problems as a community,” said ECCF President and CEO Stratton Lloyd. “Their hard work, success and the stories of those they serve inspire us all to come together and offer our time, talent and treasure to improve life for everyone in Essex County.”