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Lorrice Grant, executive director of Loaves and Fishes, shares how her personal journey—losing her mother to diabetes at just 17—ignited a lifelong mission to make nutrition accessible and dignified for all. As New Haven’s largest food pantry, Loaves and Fishes distributes over 500,000 pounds of food annually, challenging the traditional charity model through client-choice shopping and culturally relevant food.

In this episode, Loris breaks down how nutrition impacts not just physical health but also emotional wellbeing and community resilience. We discuss the role of dignity in food assistance, the power of partnerships with healthcare and workforce development organizations, and how lived experience shapes effective community leadership. With many volunteers being former clients, Loaves and Fishes is rewriting what food justice looks like from the ground up.

We also explore the systemic inequities driving food insecurity—especially among working-class families and communities of color—and why rethinking assumptions about hunger is so critical. Loris’s story is a powerful reminder that behind every pantry line is a person with resilience, pride, and hope.

Want to support Loaves and Fishes?
Volunteer during weekly distributions on Saturdays at St. Paul Episcopal Church.

Instagram: Loaves and Fishes of New Haven (@loavesandfishesnh) • Instagram photos and videos

Website: Loaves and Fishes – Food, Clothing, and Community

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/loaves-and-fishes-nh

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