Hearty Meals for All aims to meet the nutritional and social needs of the community by providing free, healthy, fresh meals in a welcoming atmosphere and to help develop avenues through which healthy habits can flourish.
The vision of Hearty Meals for All is to create a safe, stable and friendly environment in which free and healthy community meals are served and where individuals and families of all means feel comfortable participating. We aim to create a warm environment that is bursting with activity, in which guests and volunteers are one in the same and are peers. There is an apparent emphasis on healthy eating and healthy living that is not patronizing, but rather invites participants to learn about and take charge of their health and nutrition while connecting community members with the resources to do so.
Who we are
Hearty Meals for All was founded in 2008 by Emily Bullen and Rebecca Gallo, two social workers who live in Somerville and wanted to develop a place where struggling members in our community can get a healthy, home-cooked meal in a welcoming, open atmosphere. Yvette Taylor joined us as our Executive Chef at the first meal.
Emily Bullen, L.C.S.W. Emily received a Master's degree in Social Enterprise Administration from the Columbia University School of Social Work in New York, N.Y., and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology/Criminal Justice from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Emily's area of focus in graduate school was Contemporary Social Issues. She has worked with a variety of populations, including children, teenagers, the medically underserved, the homeless, persons with HIV/AIDS, and immigrants.
Rebecca Gallo, L.C.S.W., M.P.H.Rebecca earned a Masters degree in Social Work and a Masters degree in Public Health from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from American University. Her graduate studies and fieldwork focused on community program development and clinical social work. She is a licensed clinical social worker and has experience developing community programs and working with individuals, families, and children in non-profit organizations in Washington D.C., New York City, and the Greater Boston area. She has also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa where she worked to improve community health in a rural village.
Yvette Taylor Yvette is a graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. Upon completing the Professional Chef's program in 2006, Yvette started Queen of the Pantry Condiments, artisanal gourmet food products with unique and playful qualities. In addition to Queen of the Pantry, she recently worked as a pastry chef for Whole Foods Markets. Her culinary experience spans from cuisines around the Globe, most fondly New Zealand , where she spent two years working with local artisans and chefs in the Hawkes Bay wine country. There she honed her skills cooking side by side with some of the region's finest chefs before becoming marketing and events manager for a large international winery. She is also currently a certified personal/private chef focusing on clients with healthy dietary interests. Through her cooking instructions Yvette shares her entrepreneurial spirit and appreciation for cooking with finest ingredients.