After leading Greener Partners as executive director for the past 10 years, and being part of the organization since 2009, Meg MacCurtin will step down from her role in November 2024.
“Throughout her tenure with Greener Partners, Meg’s unwavering loyalty, passion, and commitment to strengthening community health through fresh food access, education, and food sovereignty has led GP to where it is today,” said Damian Petrone, chair of the GP Board of Directors. “We have tremendous gratitude for Meg’s incredible stewardship of the organization, guiding our growth from a single school garden project to programs in more than 100 schools that positively impact over 10,000 youth each year.”
Under Meg’s leadership over the years, Greener Partners has found innovative ways to bring the organization’s mission to the local community. In 2013, Meg helped launch the Farm Explorer program – a mobile farm experience that brings a hands-on learning experience to schools and communities that do not already have access to spaces to grow their own fresh food.
Meg also helped establish what is now a 10-year relationship with Main Line Health through the Deaver Wellness Farm at Lankenau Medical Center. The farm provides an incredible learning environment for both residents and patients, while also producing thousands of pounds of fresh produce annually.
“Meg will be missed. Meg’s legacy will continue at Greener Partners,” said Maureen Krouse, Manager, Community Health and Outreach at Deaver Health Education Center and Wellness Farm. “Her leadership and commitment to the GP mission is seen in all of GP’s work. She has been a valued partner of Lankenau for over 10 years with the Deaver Wellness Farm initiative. This collaboration illustrates how an idea can evolve into a successful farm, educating children and adults and helping community members experiencing food insecurity. This could not have happened without Meg’s commitment, belief, and direction in the project(s). I wish her the very best and continued success in the next phase of her journey. It has been a pleasure to work with her.”
Meg’s experience as an educator has greatly shaped the focus of Greener Partners over the years. Today, the organization is recognized for the learning experience it provides to schools, communities, and healthcare institutions. The Healthy Schools Project is a model developed under Meg that delivers the full Greener Partners mission to local schools. Students are provided with a garden for hands-on learning, a year-long curriculum that teaches the importance of healthy eating, and access to fresh produce they can bring home. Meg’s leadership in establishing this program positions Greener Partners for the fantastic opportunity to help build life-changing healthy habits for an increasing number of our community’s youth each year.
“I am filled with gratitude for my 15 years at Greener Partners. It has been an incredible journey to be part of this organization since its beginning, working with a dedicated community of colleagues, Board members, and partners who are passionate about the transformative power of growing food and garden-based food education,” said Meg on her planned departure. “While my passion for Greener Partners remains as strong as it was on my first day in January 2009, I believe it is time for new leadership to guide the organization to its next level of growth and impact. Personally, I am excited to continue work that connects people to nature’s abundance and beauty, though going forward I will focus on the therapeutic role of nature-based art for individuals with diverse abilities. This new chapter integrates my background in art therapy, fiber arts, program development and design, and nonprofit leadership.”
“Meg’s impact on Greener Partners over the past 15 years cannot be overstated. Thanks to her vision, the organization is as strong as it has ever been and perfectly positioned for new leadership to continue its growth,” said Jessica Salt, Vice-Chair of the GP Board of Directors. “We are very grateful that Meg has offered to remain actively involved with the organization until a new Executive Director is identified and will help support her successor through the onboarding process to ensure an effective transition. This is emblematic of Meg’s unwavering commitment to Greener Partners.”
The GP Board of Directors has created an Executive Director Search Committee and has retained Dunleavy & Associates to assist the board in the search for GP’s next leader. The Position Description for the role can be found at https://greenerpartners.org/partner-with-us/opportunities or by following this link. Applications are now being accepted. The Board expects to announce a successor by October 2024.
CONTACT: Amy Johnson, amy.johnson@greenerpartners.org, (610) 316-5617
Greener Partners’ mission is to strengthen community health through urban farming, equitable fresh food access, and discovery based learning. We believe that everyone has a right to nourishing food. We partner with schools, hospitals, and community organizations to develop underutilized land into productive urban gardens that provide fresh food for communities experiencing food insecurity. Since 2008, we have worked to address barriers to healthy eating through hands-on gardening, cooking, and nutrition education programs, and through no-cost fruit and vegetable distributions.
