Ashley Stanley ’97: On the Road Again

Stanley never set out to establish a non-profit; as a matter of fact, she spent a number of years in the fast-paced world of marketing and luxury retail in New York City. But her own experience with restaurant leftovers led first to some internet research and then to the realization that the dichotomy between wasted food and hungry people could be addressed with a redistribution of resources. So Stanley took the initiative to try and tackle the problem.

“The circumstances around hunger are changing, and I really think the conversation about hunger relief needs to change along with it,” said Stanley. “We have to adopt new ways of meeting the need. Lovin’ Spoonfuls is really a reaction to the situation, a practical application of what I learned a few years ago about food excess. There is more than enough food to feed everyone around the globe. Yet one in every five Bostonians is classified as ‘food-insecure,’ meaning they are chronically hungry or don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Additionally, wasted food costs the U.S. over $1 billion every year in taxpayer money, and accounts for 5-7% of our oil consumption to incinerate this food. Spoonfuls also addresses health issues in the population we serve, by injecting fresh, healthy foods onto soup lines and into food pantries.”

Since its founding in 2010, the non-profit Lovin’ Spoonfuls has developed into a vibrant partnership of restaurateurs, supermarket chains, farms, service organizations, government officials, and local businesses. Stanley and her staff of three are the managers, fundraisers, drivers, media specialists, and public policy lobbyists; you name it, they do it.

Their board of directors (including restaurateur Christopher Myers, chef Joanne Chang, chef Ming Tsai and television host Andrew Zimmern) is matched in stature by the organizations they serve (the Pine Street Inn, Haley House, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, among others), and the businesses that donate (from Whole Foods to Allendale Farm). Stanley has been featured in Boston Magazine, The Improper Bostonian, The Boston Business Journal, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald and on WBZ-Channel 4 and Channel 5’s Chronicle.

Stanley was recently asked to participate on an international panel at an Oxfam conference honoring women involved in food justice, an indication of the high regard in which she is held for her work through Lovin’ Spoonfuls. She was recognized by the global organization for her commitment and work towards hunger relief.

“Hunger is a global problem of distribution and access, and the solution is just that – distribution and access,” said Stanley. “Lovin’ Spoonfuls serves as a model for that. My immediate goal is to cement our presence in the Commonwealth, and we’ve had tremendous support from Governor Patrick and Mayor Menino. The idea is to create a sustainable model so Spoonfuls can be easily adapted and implemented to serve any city.”

Support from the Boston community is evident in the wide range of fundraisers held for Lovin’ Spoonfuls, which have run the gamut from a ‘Lamb Jam’, sponsored by the American Lamb Board, events put on by friends and partners in the community like Island Creek Oysters, Toro & Coppa restaurants, and last year’s first annual Ultimate Tailgate Party, a collection of Boston and Nantucket’s best chefs held at Sam’s Restaurant on the waterfront. With more funding, the organization has been able to expand to two vehicles and drivers as well as an additional staff person. But the demand for their services is high, both at a vendor and government level, so a capital growth campaign is underway to help Lovin’ Spoonfuls meet that demand.

As a star athlete during the formative years of girls’ athletics at Rivers, Stanley managed to take advantage of community service opportunities the school organized, but gives her family credit for instilling in her a sense of responsibility toward others.

“Growing up, I learned from my family what it means to be a good neighbor, which is what Lovin’ Spoonfuls tries to be,” said Stanley. It’s important to me to continue to get out in the trucks on a regular basis to pick up and deliver food – staying connected is really at the heart of my mission. This is about people, and food is just such a basic necessity – healthy food, especially. At the end of the day, it’s just people helping people.”