The 2025 Nonprofit Trailblazers
Innovative leaders serving vulnerable New Yorkers.
When a third of New York City’s food pantries shuttered early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Caroline Tweedy transformed St. John’s Bread & Life into a hub that helped launch over 20 new pantries in underserved neighborhoods. Under her leadership, the agency’s food distribution surged to over 5 million pounds annually, with meals and staples delivered to shelters, schools and senior centers. She stockpiled shelf-stable food, rented cold storage and tailored meal plans to meet the needs of intergenerational households – using logistics, compassion and community partnerships to feed over 446,000 New Yorkers each year.