About Us

Our Values

Compassion

Dignity

Respect

Innovation

Agility

Our Mission

Our mission is to create food security through nutrition and education as the catalyst to empower individuals and families to reach their full potential. Daniel’s Table achieves this mission through continuous innovation of programming and outreach, service provision conducted with compassion and dignity and education that is respectful of culture and diversity.

Daniels Table, Framingham Food Support

Empowering Our Local Community

We support local families and individuals in need, with a focus on locally sourced, nutritious foods whenever possible. Our goal is to find the “hidden hungry,” those folks who struggle with food security but are not eligible for or are not currently being served by traditional food programs. To accomplish this goal, we strive to introduce innovative programs which enrich the lives of our community and provide much needed support to our neighbors in need.

Our Story

Daniel’s Table was born 9 years ago. David and Alicia Blais purchased, owned, and operated a restaurant in the City of Framingham. During their first few years of serving the community, they realized food insecurity was a significant problem for their “neighbors” in Framingham. Having the compassion and expertise to combat the hunger problem they saw around them; they were compelled to act. They believed their business and culinary acumen provided a strong foundation. A foundation that would allow them to address the complex issues confronting the City. On September 14, 2016 Daniel’s Table became a registered 501(c)3 organization. Daniel’s Table has been evolving ever since.

Meet Our Founders

David Blais

David has been a lifelong entrepreneur whose design and vision for Daniel’s Table has made the non-profit a food security leader in the community. Always focused on never-ending improvement, David has implemented innovative solutions that creatively deal with difficult social issues like food insecurity and its social impact.

Alicia Blais

Alicia is the “rock” that keeps Daniel’s Table focused. Her passion for those in need is only surpassed by her love of  children. This passion for our city’s youngest is demonstrated through her role as Director of Programming and her educational and entertaining talks throughout the Framingham Public Schools. Alicia brings over 35 years of restaurant management experience to our non-profit mission. Those skills have been an integral part of the Community Freezer Program.  Her creative culinary skills and dedication to bringing culturally diverse food to the community is unmatched.  

Meet the Team

Sandra Montesino, Daniel's Table

Sandra Montesino

Executive Team Member

A headshot of Alcia Blais, happy and smiling outdoors in a jewel-studded tank top

Alicia Blais

Director of Programming

Arlene Bryer, Director of Development and Strategic Planning at Daniel's Table

Arlene Bryer

Director of Development and Strategic Planning

Lisa Wozny, in a button up and glasses, leans back confidently in a chair with one arm resting on the back of the chair and her arm bent so her hand brushes her face

Lisa Wozny

Financial Coordinator

Board of Directors

Andy Limeri, Board President

alimeri@danielstable.org

After a distinguished 39-year career in the technology industry, Andy embraced retirement, capping a journey marked by diverse technical and leadership roles. His commitment to community service in Framingham is exemplary, extending across governmental and non-governmental spheres. Andy has made meaningful contributions through roles such as Town Meeting participant, member of the Framingham School Committee, the Technology Advisory Committee, and the Open Space Commission. His involvement also extends to various Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTOs) and school councils.

In 2021, Andy commenced his volunteer work with Daniel’s Table, a pivotal moment that ignited his passion for their mission to eradicate food insecurity. Recognizing the significance of their cause, Andy joined the board in 2023, and he is humbled to assume the role of chair, dedicated to advancing the organization’s noble mission.

Sarah Stysiack, Vice Chair, Board of Directors and Chair, Fundraising Committee
sstysiack@danielstable.org

As a volunteer at Daniel’s Table, Sarah knows firsthand what goes into creating, preparing, and distributing food to ensure healthy food security for our Framingham area neighbors. She appreciates the uniquely collaborative environment that Daniel’s Table fosters, to enable the community to meet its goal to end food insecurity.

Sarah has 9 years experience in the Management and Organizational Development team at Deloitte, and has held multiple volunteer roles in the Ashland Public Schools and the community. She earned her BA from Boston University.

Sarah has served on the Board since January 2023, and has chaired the Fundraising Committee since September 2023. She enjoys collaborating and brainstorming with a diverse group of experts to enable Daniel’s Table to continue to go above and beyond to support our community.

Jack VanWoerkom, Governance Committee Chair
jvanwoerkom@danielstable.org

Jack VanWoerkom is retired after a more than 30-year career in corporate law, including serving as General Counsel of Staples, Inc. and of The Home Depot, Inc. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of WEX, Inc., a fintech company headquartered in Portland, Maine. On that Board, he has at various times during his tenure chaired the governance and compensation committees, and currently is the Lead Independent Director. Mr. VanWoerkom brings to the Daniel’s Table board significant experience in governance and compliance, as well as general legal matters.

John Lynch, Board Member
Bio coming soon
Risa Lifshatz, Board Secretary

rlifshatz@danielstable.org

Risa was born in Boston and grew up in Brookline. A graduate from Beaver country Day school and the George Washington University with a major in urban planning and a minor in political science. Risa was a mortgage banker until children and subsequently and temporarily left the workforce. She became a volunteer for JFSMW when my kids were very young and I worked myself into a job. Starting out part-time and ended up 25 years later as the full-time business office manager. Risa enjoys the nonprofit world. She went to work every day knowing that she was working with people who really cared about what happened to the world and the people in it. She loved working with the clients and had a special relationship with many of the elders and also the families from the Syrian humanitarian project. Risa retired in 2021 and moved to Cape Cod. Now she volunteers, takes care of her elderly parents, and is thrilled and privileged to be now a part of Daniel‘s table.

Anthony Ortiz, Board Member
aortiz@danielstable.org

Anthony is the Senior Strategist for the Office of Effective Partnerships and Impact within the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He has demonstrated leadership in various roles, contributing significantly to education and community engagement. His diverse experience in both school services and municipal work showcases a commitment to enhancing communities.

Anthony served as the Manager of Wraparound Services for Framingham Public Schools for over two years and contributed to the launch of Wraparound Services for FPS as one of four inaugural coordinators back in 2021. While in Framingham, Anthony also participated in other roles, serving as the Chairperson of the Family Engagement Committee, the Secretary for the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) Advisory Committee, the Education Representative for the Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham’s Steering Committee and the Chairperson of the Equity, Diversity, & Community Engagement Committee. In addition, Anthony also ran an Out of School Time Program for one of Framingham’s elementary schools for two years.

Prior to joining Framingham Public Schools, Anthony worked as an Assistant Director of Admissions for higher education institutions, a municipality worker for the City of Worcester, and managed an after-school program developed to support middle school-aged students in Worcester.

Anthony holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Spanish from Worcester State University and a Master’s degree in Community Development and Planning from Clark University.

Alicia Blais, Co-Founder and Board Member
ablais@danielstable.org

Alicia Blais is the esteemed Co-Founder of Daniel’s Table, where her dedication to eradicating food insecurity is palpable. Her heartfelt commitment to serving the community and her empathetic approach have guided the organization’s efforts to provide nutritious meals to those in need while fostering a sense of dignity and belonging for all. Alicia’s leadership has been instrumental in building strong partnerships and collaborative initiatives, ensuring that Daniel’s Table remains a beacon of hope and support for individuals and families facing economic hardships in the area.

Andrea Lynch, Board Member
I am a registered nurse and I see first-hand the difference consuming quality food regularly has on the health and outcomes of a growing child who attends school daily, all the way to a senior living alone. Eating well balanced, quality food on a regular basis can make an enormous difference in a child’s education as well as overall physical and emotional health. For seniors, it means avoiding some chronic conditions and staying healthy.

John and I wanted to be part of David and Alicia’s team because I believed in their vision and mission to bring food security to the City of Framingham in a creative and economically feasible way.

My husband and I have volunteered bringing food to people’s homes and each person felt loved and seen by David, Alicia and the DT team. It’s this personal connection that separates Daniels Table from other programs.
It is an honor to be part of this team of board members and I admire the unique gifts and talents each person brings to Daniel’s Table.

Magda Janus, Board Member
Magda is a first generation immigrant who came to the USA as a young adult. She attended vocational school while learning English. Then, with help of a scholarship, attended a two year college and graduated with an Associates Degree. Years later she went back to college while working full time, and graduated with a BS in Business Administration. Framingham has been her home since 1996. She is married and has two children in college. In 2021 she bravely stepped into the world of local politics and single-handedly ran a campaign for the City Council in D7. She met many local politicians as well as Chief of FPD, Members of FFD, but most importantly many of Framingham residents. It was an eye opener, not just from the perspective of politics. She knows so many in Framingham who live alone, are elderly and sometimes disabled and that poverty is a tough pill to swallow. Magda heard about Daniel’s Table, and she is now a regular volunteer at the Wednesday Farmers Market. She says: “I was not able to repay the kindness my family received when we first came to the USA years ago. Giving back to the community now feels right. I get a sense of belonging, I meet new people, I make new friends”. For many it is not just the food insecurity but also the language barrier, the cultural differences, the inability to express yourself clearly and find your place in a world that often cannot understand you. She intends to, through Daniel’s Table, give others the kind of help she received when she moved to the US.
Tax Info

All donations made to Daniel’s Table (EIN #47-3166043) are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. The IRS requires us to inform you that the amount of your contribution that is deductible for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess of the amount of any money (and the value of any property, other than money) contributed by you over the value of the goods or services provided by the organization. No goods or services were provided by the organization.

Ways YOU Can Support Our Mission

Donate Groceries & Goods

Contribute to Our Campaigns

Become a Volunteer

Run a Food Drive