Nourishing Hope named Mitzi Baum its chief executive officer in August 2025 after she had served as interim leader since May. The appointment came while Chicago food providers were preparing for possible increases in need tied to changes in public benefits.
Baum brought experience that fit both sides of Nourishing Hope's work: getting food to people and managing the systems that make a large service organization function. She spent 23 years at Feeding America and later served as CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness, a public health advocacy and education organization.
What the interim term covered
During the interim period, Baum worked with staff across Nourishing Hope's four facilities. The organization's announcement describes efforts to strengthen daily operations, improve coordination among senior staff, and clarify strategic priorities. Those are internal changes, but they affect whether a provider can respond consistently when more neighbors need help.
Nourishing Hope's services extend beyond groceries to mental wellness and social support. A chief executive in this setting has to consider food supply, staff capacity, and the experience of people using those services together. Baum's background in food bank logistics, safety, and organizational management explains why the board chose a leader with operational experience.
The demands facing the new CEO
The announcement placed her appointment against pressure on organizations serving households affected by SNAP, Medicaid, and other federal program changes. In July 2025 reporting, Baum had already discussed growing demand at Nourishing Hope's pantries and the strain on case workers. The CEO decision therefore came with a concrete management question: how to maintain reliable services as need and administrative work grow.
The appointment tells readers who is accountable for that work. Its outcomes will be visible in Nourishing Hope's operations and reporting, not in a leadership announcement alone.
Read Nourishing Hope's full announcement and the July 2025 report on service demand.
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