Kate Maehr has led the Greater Chicago Food Depository in its mission to end hunger since 2006. In this role, she leads an organization with a staff of more than 250, more than 25,000 annual volunteers and a network of 800 community-based partner organizations and programs. Under Kate's leadership, the Food Depository has evolved programs and expanded distribution to meet rising demand for food assistance. She has steered the organization through periods of unprecedented need, ensuring that the Food Depository was ready to serve and execute rapid responses to crisis.
Key accomplishments during her tenure include transforming the standard food bank model of charging food pantries a fee for food to adopting and sustaining a policy of providing all food at no cost to front-line partners, the adoption of a bold nutrition agenda and the increase in the amount of fresh produce sourced and distributed by 450%. Kate established the Food Depository’s public policy and advocacy team, which works at every level of government to impact change and led the creation of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger. Most recently, the Food Depository opened a 38,000 square-foot prepared meals center – named Chicago’s Community Kitchens – as part of its strategy to increase the availability of healthy prepared meals for people at increased risk of food insecurity.
While still developing new programs to better serve priority populations, Kate also oversees the creation and growth of innovation at the Food Depository. In 2020, the Food Depository launched the “food equity index”, led the COVID-19 emergency food response for the City of Chicago, and convened community partners to develop a food equity agenda for the City of Chicago. She remains a passionate and staunch advocate of anti-hunger policies and has been called to testify before Congress and the Illinois General Assembly. In 2021, Kate was recognized as the nation’s “Food Bank Leader of the Year” for her work in Chicago.
Kate holds a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from the University of Wisconsin. In 2015-16, she was also chair of Feeding America’s National Council.