Revere Arabic Community, of Revere, has been named a recipient of Project Bread’s inaugural Community Power Grants program. The funding will help to drive grassroots advocacy and systems change to address the root causes of food insecurity, building capacity for smaller organizations where it would not be otherwise possible. Revere Arabic Community was selected from over 40 proposals for its proven impact, advocacy wins, and strong potential to build power across communities.
“Food insecurity is not just about food – it is about deep structural disparities,” says Adriana Mendes-Sheldon, Director of Community Partnerships at Project Bread. “True transformation happens when power is redistributed and communities most impacted by food insecurity are part of shaping the solutions. By investing in grassroots leadership and advocacy, we build long-term capacity for organizing and a sustainable impact that goes beyond charity and toward systemic change.”
The Revere Arabic Community is a grassroots, immigrant-led organization dedicated to supporting low-income and non-English-speaking families in Revere and surrounding communities as they navigate food insecurity, language barriers, and social isolation. Founded in 2022 by Egyptian immigrant and community leader Asmaa Aboufouda, Revere Arabic Community centers culturally responsive support and leadership development to ensure immigrant families feel seen, supported, and included in their new home. With support from Project Bread’s Community Power Fund, Revere Arabic Community is expanding its Immigrant Family Support and Food Distribution Program to move beyond short-term food assistance and toward long-term systems change. The project aims to recruit and train 10 to 15 immigrant residents in advocacy, public speaking, and community organizing, while also hosting SNAP enrollment events, community listening sessions, and public forums with local and state leaders to elevate immigrant voices and priorities. Revere Arabic Community has already hosted their first workshop, training 21 participants, and will continue to train immigrant residents in future workshops and events. Together, these efforts aim to build a permanent, immigrant-led advisory network that advances culturally and religiously appropriate food access and shapes more equitable food policies across Massachusetts.
“This project is about ensuring immigrant families are not just receiving food, but gaining the confidence, skills, and power to advocate for themselves,” says Asmaa Aboufouda, founder and president of the Revere Arabic Community. “When families are supported in their own language and culture and given the tools to lead, they can help create food systems and policies that reflect their values and meet their real needs—today and for generations to come.”
Project Bread awarded a total of $97,000 to five Massachusetts organizations through the Community Power Grants program. Grantees received individualized technical assistance from Project Bread’s Research and Evaluation team to develop customized logic models that track each project’s progress and impact. They will also participate in Project Bread’s statewide Community of Practice. Mendes-Sheldon explains that “the program was intentionally designed to provide value beyond funding, offering key supports that build long-term organizational capacity, sustainability, and impact.” The grants strategically support the Make Hunger History Coalition, Project Bread’s bold statewide initiative mobilizing more than 500 partners around a shared roadmap to permanently end hunger in Massachusetts. This work seeks to intentionally shift the power dynamics in anti-hunger work by providing tools and support for grassroots organizations and individuals to voice their perspectives and become leaders in this statewide movement. The coalition operates through five strategic pillars: ensuring all residents can access and buy food, integrating food security with health care, supporting residents to eat nutritious and local food, enhancing food support programs for priority populations, and addressing root causes that contribute to hunger. The other 2025-2026 grantees include Boston Food Access Council, Roslindale Food Collective + New Beginnings Reentry Services, MetroWest Food Collaborative, and Hampshire County Food Policy Council. They have all joined the coalition as active members, with their community leadership and organizing efforts directly feeding into working groups and collaborative efforts across the state.
To get involved with the Make Hunger History Coalition, visit: www.makehungerhistoryma.org.
People experiencing food insecurity should call into Project Bread’s toll-free FoodSource Hotline (1-800-645-8333), which provides confidential assistance to connect with food resources, including SNAP benefits, in 180 languages and for the hearing impaired. For more information, visit: www.projectbread.org/get-help.
Project Bread, the leading statewide food security organization in Massachusetts, connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible—so that no one goes hungry. For more information, visit: www.projectbread.org.
Founded in 2022, Revere Arabic Community (RAC) is a grassroots, immigrant-led nonprofit organization based in Revere, Massachusetts. RAC supports low-income and non-English-speaking families by addressing food insecurity, language barriers, and social isolation through culturally and linguistically responsive services. In addition to food distribution and SNAP enrollment assistance, RAC focuses on leadership development, advocacy, and community organizing to empower immigrant residents to shape more equitable systems and policies. Through community-centered programs and partnerships, RAC works to ensure immigrant families feel supported, represented, and empowered in their new home.
