Worcester Business Journal

18 Worcester Business Journal | May 13, 2024 | wbjournal.com F O C U S S M A L L B U S I N E S S & FA M I LY B U S I N E S S BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Staff Writer F ollowing the closure of her Maker to Main grocery store in Worcester's Canal District, shop owner Lynn Cheney has quickly found a way to continue to contribute to the commu- nity, as she has been named to the new role of vice president of communications for the United Way of Central Massachusetts. Since 2012, Cheney has been one of the region's most prominent faces in efforts to support local farmers. In her new role at the United Way, she is set to play a key role at one of the area's most prominent nonprofits. "We've always been close," said Tim Garvin, pres- e next chapter Aer closing her Worcester grocery store, Lynn Cheney charts a new path to boost the local community Lynn Cheney, founder of the now shuttered Maker to Main grocery store, stands outside the market's original location on Main Street in Worcester. Since closing Maker to Main, she has been named vice president of the United Way of Central Massachusetts. PHOTO | MATT WRIGHT ident and CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, of Cheney. "When she closed down shop, our United Way had been looking for someone who's deeply connected to the community, and who has business and communi- cation experience." is new role is the latest evolution of Cheney's mission to make Central Massachusetts a healthier and happier place. "It's like a match made in heaven," Garvin said. "She's fabulous, she's compassionate, she's brilliant, and she's been a great member of our team." Lettuce begin Cheney's work in fighting food insecurity and em- powering local farmers began in earnest in 2012, when she founded Lettuce Be Local food hub in Sterling. An effort to connect local farms with restaurants, cater- ers, schools, and eventually individual consumers, the organization included a network of more than 50 chefs and 100+ area farms. In 2020, Lettuce Be Local morphed into Maker to Main, a brick-and-mortar grocery store originally in downtown Worcester, which aimed to offer a curated selection of the best fruits, vegetables, and other food items local farmers and food producers had to offer. Maricelis Gonzalez, executive director of El Buen Samaritano Food Program on Piedmont Street in Worcester, first met Cheney in 2020 during the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic, where food insecuri- ty suddenly became a bigger issue. Gonzalez quickly formed a trinity with Garvin and Cheney to launch Farm to Market to Pantry to Table, a yearlong effort where United Way donated fresh veg- etables to the food program through Maker to Main, helping the city's most vulnerable residents. "I love Lynn. She's amazing." Gonzalez said. A chapter ends Maker to Main faced an uphill battle from the begin- ning, as the pandemic emptied downtown Worcester of its usual crowd of businesspeople and disrupted businesses nationwide. Aer three years of operating on Main Street, Cheney decided to move the store to the city's growing Canal District, but a buildout of the new space took longer and cost more than anticipated, further hurting the young business' chance of success, she said. Tim Garvin, CEO and president of the United Way of Central Massachusetts

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