About the Foodshelf
Our Purpose
Feeding People. The Foodshelf provides regular access to free food for community members throughout Putney, Brattleboro, Dummerston, Westminster, and surrounding towns.
Nourishing Community. We are committed to building a resilient and caring community, fostering collaboration and connection, and strengthening collective capacity through our programs and partnerships.
What We Do and Why it Matters
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We operate a free community food pantry dedicated to collaborative solutions to food access. Offering free choice and a reliable selection of nutritious and essential foods, we aim to provide food that responds to the dietary and cultural needs of our shoppers. By cultivating a welcoming, safe, and low-barrier shopping experience, we provide a vital resource within the region.
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We are committed to sourcing from local farms and food producers with over a third of our food purchases coming from local vendors. We also receive donations of food from local farms, grocers, and gardeners each year, creating a truly abundant distribution during the growing season and capturing food that might otherwise go to waste.
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From its founding, the Foodshelf has been animated by the goal of strengthening resilience and mutual thriving in our community. We see our work as part of a larger network of care. By maintaining an active volunteer team and core staff, we are able to sustain day-to-day operations and remain responsive to changing needs. Through partnerships, we create links to broader community resources.
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As an ally of the Vermont Food Security Coalition, we strive to align our local work with the shared goal of achieving Statewide food security by 2035. This is expressed through our food access programs, our commitment to local sourcing, efforts to divert food waste, coordination with other food pantries in the region, and partnerships that strengthen local food security.
Our Team
Hannah Pick
Executive Director
Hannah has been with the Putney Foodshelf since 2016. Her leadership has guided the organization through many transitions and periods of growth, and the ongoing evolution from a small pantry to a significant partner in the food security landscape of southeastern Vermont. She is currently co-chair of the Food Security Network for the Windham region. Hannah previously worked for VT Foodbank, Food Connects, and various local farms. She holds a Nonprofit Managment Certificate from Marlboro College, and a Fundraising and Development Certificate from Common Good Vermont.
Sheena Tesch
Operations Manager
Sheena moved back to Vermont in 2023 after five years in Wisconsin where she worked at Rooted, a nonprofit in the city of Madison focused on food and land access, as well as food education. Prior to that, she worked as a small-scale vegetable farmer for over a decade. Sheena is a strong networker, strategist, and advocate with a depth of experience and a dedication to the work of food security.
Board of Directors
2026-2027 Board of Directors:
Zachary Hebert (President), Emily Zervas (Treasurer), Alicia Bono (Secretary), Rosanna Niosi, Paul Renouf
Our Impact
The following snapshot reflects Foodshelf data from fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026). Check out our full 2026 Impact Report in the link below.
