Shontae Smarr is a forward-thinking and passionate advocate for communities without access to necessary resources needed for a thriving and healthy life. As Director of Philly Food Rescue, she is a crucial asset in launching, developing and managing essential partnerships with food donors, non-profits, volunteers, etc, in alignment with key goals for the Philly Food Rescue program with Uplift Solutions, since its start 16 months ago. Previously, she managed the Commodity Supplemental Food Program team at the SHARE Food program where she advocated and provided resources to 1,000+ senior citizens living significantly below the poverty line. During her tenure working to improve the food system and the quality of life for those under resourced communities throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, Shontae discovered her passion for thinking outside the box to address the systemic problems of food insecurity. She earned a BA in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a MS in Organizational Leadership from Cairn University. Her personal experience growing up in a home deemed food insecure, growing up in the foster care system in Chicago, and living significantly below the poverty line developed her strong sense of commitment and devotion for underserved communities. Shontae’s personal story motivates her to continue advocating for communities living in food deserts.