Meals on Wheels hires new executive director
Meals on Wheels Yolo County will have a new executive director beginning in the new year.
Joy Cohan, current director of philanthropic engagement at Yolo Food Bank, will be the organization’s new executive director and will begin her work on Jan. 3, according to a press release.
Cohan was previously named the director of philanthropic engagement in 2018 in an effort to increase the effect of Yolo Food Bank’s work to elevate the common good in the community.
Cohan has been integral to the executive team by elevating food security service to the community dramatically, especially since the onset of the pandemic and raising both awareness and funding to increase the Food Bank’s impact, the press release said.
“We are elated by Joy’s decision to lead our team to discover new and broadened opportunities to meet the considerable nutritional needs of seniors and others who may be homebound and isolated in Yolo County,” said Dr. James Barrett, Meals on Wheels board chair. “Her knowledge of the local food security landscape, her extensive community relationships, and her skill set as a nonprofit manager and fundraiser combine to paint a bright future for Meals on Wheels and the people who depend upon us.”
A Davis resident for nearly a decade and a 20-year resident of Woodland prior, Cohan has been engaged extensively as both a paid professional and as a volunteer throughout Yolo County.
Cohan was recently honored by Congressman John Garamendi at his 8th annual Women of the Year event. Garamendi honored 44 women from the 3rd Congressional District of California that have made significant contributions to society through public service, business, education and local advocacy.
Cohan previously served as the director of the Davis Downtown business improvement district for nearly five years, three academic years as director of Development at Hillel at Davis and Sacramento, the first executive director for Academics Without Borders and as the communications specialist for Congregation Bet Haverim in Davis.
Last year, she completed the Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s “The Lab Capacity Building Program,” focusing upon outcomes-based nonprofit innovation and problem-solving.
Cohan has an educational background in journalism, public relations and marketing. She
is married with three adult sons.
“Aging adults are one of the primary populations experiencing unmet needs for food security in Yolo County, especially as the pandemic lingers,” Cohan commented. “There is so much potential not only to address the needs already surfaced, but to dive in more deeply to discover, understand, and serve the challenges unique to rural and other underserved communities, and to ensure increased equity in doing so.”
“This is both an important and transformation time for Meals on Wheels, and I’m honored to provide leadership to develop both the resources and the collaborative relationships that will be essential to this work,” Cohan continued.
Christi Skibbins, previous executive director, departed Meals on Wheels last month after eight years of holding the position. She is now the director of special projects at the new Museum of Science and Curiosity in Sacramento.
Meals on Wheels Yolo County provides nutrition and social contact to senior citizens ages 60 and up and other homebound individuals, currently focused upon thrice-weekly COVID-19-safe home deliveries of five hot and frozen meals. As many as 400 food-insecure adults have been served 85,000 meals in the past year alone.
With a rich, nearly 50year history of nourishing older adults both at their doorsteps and in congregant settings, Meals on Wheels thrives thanks to donations of funds and time from the community. To connect with services or to offer support, visit https://mowyolo.org or call 530-662-7035.