Thomas C. Ferraro, the Founder and Executive Director of Foodlink, one of the nation’s first food banks, has passed away at the age of 67, according to a press release.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news of Tom’s death,” said Julia Tedesco, Chief Development & Communications Officer. “Tom had an unquenchable passion for addressing the societal injustices that kept individuals in poverty and struggling to feed their families. It was this passion, combined with his deep humility and extraordinary sense of humor that made him an inspirational leader not only to the employees of Foodlink, but to the thousands of people he worked with in our community. He was a remarkable mentor to us all.”
Tom’s fight against hunger began in the early 1970s when he was a volunteer at a food cupboard in the 19th ward. In time, he founded Foodlink as an independent organization in 1983, and distributed 620,000 pounds of food in the same year. Under his leadership, the organization helped distributed more than 18 million pounds of food and resources every year to area soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, group homes, senior centers, day cares, after-school programs, and other non-profit organizations. Foodlink now runs more than 30 food-related programs that seek to end hunger and improve nutrition.
Tom will be remembered for his entrepreneurial spirit and energy, his humanitarianism, and above all, his passion for the community. His vision to end hunger will remain a part of Foodlink’s mission for years to come.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Foodlink Foundation, PO Box 60766, Rochester, NY 14606 in Tom’s memory.
AndNowUKnow would like to extend our deepest condolences to Tom’s family and friends.
