HIGH COUNTRY — A little less than a month into his new role as the Executive Director of the Hunger and Health Coalition, Jamie Rye said he foresees exciting areas of growth for the 42-year-old nonprofit.
“We’re hunger and health — I think there are areas for expansion in both of those things,” Rye said. “Including strengthening even more partnerships with local farmers and local food producers, increasing collaboration across nonprofit organizations who would be great partners for us, and pivoting to include even more growth in the health area of our mission.”
Rye started on July 15 following Jenn Bass’s departure. Bass, who has been with the organization since 2019, served as Acting Executive Director starting July 2022 after Elizabeth Young stepped down due to illness. Bass was selected as Executive Director in May 2023.
“I want to share my gratitude with this entire community who embraced not just me, but our organization in an incredibly difficult time,” Bass said. “This organization and community mean the world to me. I feel confident that under Jamie’s leadership, our work will continue to invest in our neighbors who need it most.”
Bass added that even though she spent a short time with Rye before he took over, she could tell he led with both “his head and his heart.” She called Rye an “exemplary leader” who will make a positive impact on the organization. Kerri Whittaker, the organization’s board chair, echoed these sentiments by saying Rye will be a “wonderful asset” at the Hunger and Health Coalition.
“His extensive nonprofit experience, a passion for the work and strong community relations will help to elevate the already incredible work of HHC,” Whittaker said.
Rye previously served as the Community Engagement Officer and the Senior Communication Officer at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. He has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including nine years as an Executive Director at various justice-centered nonprofits.
When not at work, he enjoys being outdoors. He has helped start a disc golf association in Michigan and even served as a backpacking guide in Alaska, New Mexico and North Carolina. He said he’s been able to experience a variety of opportunities in life as he doesn’t shy away from taking a chance when they’re presented.
“One of my first mentors said, ‘Your responsibility when a door is in front of you is to try to walk through it. The door can either open or it’ll slam shut. Either way, you’ll have the answer you need, but always try to walk through.’ That’s what I’ve always tried to do in my career,” Rye said. “When something comes in front of me, I’ll try to walk through it, and I’m going to go as far as I can before it either slams shut or blows wide open.”
At his core, Rye said he has a passion for food and housing. Food has been the common denominator in his various types of work, whether it was working with community dinners with immigrant populations or producing food through a Community Supported Agriculture program.
“(Food is) the binding force of the community,” Rye said. “If you’re from the south, you know the importance of food for the family, for the community, for the neighbor. At the base level, it’s something we all need.”
The mission of the Hunger and Health Coalition is to transform the community’s hunger into health through compassionate, community-centered hunger relief, medication access, and wellness services. Some of their services include medically tailored food boxes, free prescription assistance, nutritional counseling, and wraparound services such as a mobile delivery program. The organization serves on average 1,000 people per month and dispensed roughly $2.2 million in free medications last fiscal year. The organization prides itself on community engagement and education as tools to alleviate barriers to health in the community.
“I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to serve my community as the new Executive Director at HHC,” Rye said. “We have a 40-year legacy of providing equitable, just and compassionate food and medicine access to the High Country. With the demand for both increasing, I look forward to helping HHC more fully meet the needs of our community and beyond.”
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