After a career leading operations and technology teams for E-commerce and retail companies, Helen Boyne was looking for a way to use her skills as a volunteer.
Boyne had focused on capacity planning needs, order fulfillment operations and everything that comes along with it. When she found FFEN, she said it seemed like the perfect fit and now she’s using her skills to help food shelves consider their operations and procedures.
“I can see the space between processes, departments and people and see where we could find a better connection,” Boyne said. “It’s sometimes hard for people to see when they’re focused on their slice of things.”
The nature of food rescue, food that is safe to consume but can no longer be sold, has been eye-opening, she said.
“It can be a large portion of a food shelf’s food, it’s so critical that it’s well used and well managed because it’s free but by its nature, it also adds complexity,” she said.
Boyne said she spends much of her time inside food shelves just simply looking and listening to staff and volunteers.
“The folks in food are trying to do a lot very fast, particularly with food rescue, there’s a sense of urgency to get it processed and get it out the door,” she said. “I’m looking for places to make the process more agile and ease any contention.”
