Salvation Farms Announces New Executive Director

MORRISVILLE, VT - Salvation Farms announces Kelly Dolan will be its next Executive Director. Last November, Theresa Snow, founding director of Salvation Farms, announced plans to transition out of the leadership role at the organization. Snow’s vision resulted in the creation of the organization and she has led it since its founding in 2004.

“It has been a true privilege to bring Salvation Farms into existence and to behold the passing of the torch to a new leader who is backed by an incredible team of co-workers, Board members, farmers, diverse collaborators, and a broad base of supporters,” Snow reflected. ”Salvation Farms' future is looking very bright with the combination of Kelly’s leadership and the on-going work of our team. I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to watch this incredible organization continue to grow and evolve from the sidelines.”

With Snow’s planned departure, the Salvation Farms Board initiated an extensive search with the aim of finding just the right candidate to lead the organization in its next phase. Kelly Dolan brings a mix of skills and backgrounds well-suited to the complex and diverse mission of the organization.

Dolan most recently worked as the Farm to Plate Network Manager for the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. While there, she collaborated with food systems organizations to incorporate the goals and strategies contained in the Vermont Agriculture and Food System Strategic Plan 2021-2030 to their organization, local or regional community. Prior to Farm to Plate, Kelly led University of Vermont (UVM) Extension’s Migrant Education Program overseeing a statewide effort to support migrant farmworkers and their families. Her previous work includes community development as a Peace Corps Volunteer in both Guatemala and Panama. She holds a master’s degree in Community Development and Applied Economics and a secondary teaching license in World languages. Dolan has also enjoyed seasonal farm work at nurseries and diversified small farms and volunteering with other organizations, most recently as a board member and fundraising chair for the Vermont Mountain Biking Association.

“I am beyond thrilled to lead Salvation Farms into this new chapter,” Dolan noted. “Theresa, along with dedicated partners, board and staff, have done such commendable work to further farm viability and food access within Vermont communities. With many exciting projects on the horizon, we anticipate the coming months and years to be a time of both expansion and deepening of the organization’s mission. Moving forward, we appreciate your continued support and invite others to join us in our shared efforts to build a more just, equitable and resilient food system.

The organization has planned for a period of overlap between Snow and Dolan beginning in May to ease the transition.

"I am very excited to get to know Kelly, and to have her taking the helm at Salvation Farms,” Board Chair Sue Buckholz said. “I'm confident that she will build on Theresa's vision and decades of hard work, and that she will deepen our connections with our partners while expanding our work in all the right directions."

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About Salvation Farms 

Salvation Farms mission is to build increased resilience in Vermont’s food system through agricultural surplus management. Their primary goals include: reducing food loss on farms, increasing the use of locally grown foods, fostering an appreciation for Vermont’s agricultural heritage and future, and supporting a more socially and environmentally just food system.

Salvation Farms began its work in 2004, receiving its federal tax-exempt status in 2012.

Salvation Farms work with farmers, partners, and community members to move wholesome, Vermont farm-raised foods that have no market to those in need of nourishment. Their approach includes gleaning, surplus crop brokering, aggregation, processing, and freezing, volunteer and community engagement, workforce development, technical assistance, research, and advocacy.

Their vision is to help build agricultural surplus management into Vermont’s food system through collaborative partnerships that emphasizes community food security and independence, increasing the health and food knowledge of Vermont’s residents while strengthening our state’s agricultural sector and food system. They have served as a model and provide technical assistance to others interested in doing similar work nationwide.

Some of Salvation Farms accomplishments include: building Vermont’s most replicated gleaning model, creating and serving as backbone to the Vermont Gleaning Collective, designing and launching a web-based platform to serve gleaning efforts in Vermont, helping found a national association of gleaning organizations, creating light processing procedures for surplus crops, developing a post-harvest handling and light manufacturing training curriculum for individuals facing employment barriers, and conducting the first statewide food loss on farm study in the nation. 

For more information, visit www.salvationfarms.org