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Writer's picturejenna256

CALO Member Spotlight: Stephen Grimaldi, Executive Director of New York Common Pantry (NYCP)

Stephen Grimaldi’s journey with New York Common Pantry (formerly Yorkville Common Pantry) spans over 15 years, reflecting a deep dedication to serving New York City's most vulnerable communities. Starting his career at NYCP as an intern during his Master of Social Work program, Stephen’s passion for the organization and its mission never wavered. He recalls, “I saw the opening for the Executive Director's role and felt compelled to apply.” In 2008, after gaining extensive experience in other human services nonprofits and while pursuing his doctoral studies, Stephen returned to NYCP, eager to lead the organization toward greater impact. 


Stephen is pictured from the chest up, wearing a suit, tie, and glasses. He has a large smile that shows in his eyes.

Transforming New York Common Pantry: A Vision for Growth

Since Stephen took the helm, NYCP has undergone a remarkable transformation. One of his first major milestones was rebranding the organization to New York Common Pantry in 2012, reflecting its expanded reach across all five boroughs of New York City. Under his leadership, NYCP evolved from a single-site operation to an organization serving over 250 sites annually. NYCP now offers a comprehensive range of services, including food distribution, nutrition education, and benefits access, impacting hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.


Innovation and Expansion

Stephen's leadership has been characterized by innovation and forward-thinking solutions to address food insecurity. NYCP’s Choice Pantry was a groundbreaking initiative, allowing guests to order food on tablets in their preferred language, making the experience more dignified and accessible. This digital ordering system has earned NYCP recognition, including the prestigious Kathy Goldman Innovation Award.

NYCP continued to expand its services with programs like Nourish (a mobile senior pantry) and Live Healthy! (a nutrition education and wellness program), serving over 130 sites. The organization’s Recipe Club offers live streaming programming, while initiatives like Farm Shares and Food MD help educate and provide critical nutrition resources. In 2022, the Nourish program served an incredible 4.7 million meals.


Leading Through Crises

Stephen has led NYCP through numerous crises, including the 2008 economic crash, Superstorm Sandy, the COVID-19 pandemic, and, more recently, record inflation and the migrant crisis. Despite these challenges, NYCP has grown exponentially under his leadership, now serving over 11 million meals and welcoming more than 700,000 visitors each year.


Recognition and Awards

NYCP's success under Stephen’s leadership has garnered numerous accolades. Among the most notable are:

  • Kathy Goldman Innovation Award (sponsored by Food Bank for NYC) for the Choice Pantry tablet ordering system

  • Partnership and Advocacy Awards from City Harvest (2014, 2020)

  • Waste Warrior Award from FoodTank for NYCP’s food rescue efforts

  • Nonprofit Excellence Award Gold Prize from The New York Community Trust in 2015

  • Neighborhood Builder Award from Bank of America (2020)

  • Social Impact Award for Innovation and Leadership at the New York City Imagine Awards (2022)

  • 11 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator


Stephen's Experience with CALO

For Stephen, CALO provides a unique and invaluable resource, and he emphasizes the importance of having a space to share ideas, process challenges, and grow both professionally and personally. “CALO offers something otherwise in short supply-- peer support from other top-notch leaders, an effective and efficient process and structure to facilitate learning and growth, and an ability to process ideas with colleagues to understand first-hand the unique challenges of being a CEO or Executive Director,” Stephen notes.


He recommends CALO to fellow executives, “because I recognize that executives often need to 'do the work inside the work' to be effective leaders. In that way CALO not only offers substantive input on the mechanics of the work, but the social and emotional supports needed to guide our work and organizations.”


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