Mary Ellen Burris’ connection to Foodlink dates back to 1979, when she met Foodlink founder Tom Ferraro through her work at Wegmans. She helped establish what would become one of the most consequential partnerships in Foodlink’s history, including pioneering Wegmans’ donation of perishable food at a scale that was groundbreaking for the grocery industry at the time. She also became one of Tom Ferraro’s most trusted advisors.

But her influence extended far beyond food donations.

She also encouraged Foodlink not to depend on Wegmans alone, but to build new partnerships and diversify its sources of food. As President & CEO Julia Tedesco shared during the dedication, Wegmans accounted for nearly 90% of Foodlink’s food when she joined the organization. Today, it is closer to 30%, not because Wegmans became less generous, but because Foodlink expanded its network and became more resilient. Wegmans itself donated 32 million pounds of food to Foodlink over the previous five years.

It is fitting that Mary Ellen Burris’ name is now connected permanently to Foodlink’s Culinary Center. The space encompasses Foodlink’s production kitchens, Foodlink Career Fellowship program and catering initiatives, bringing together work that nourishes people while creating opportunities through food.

During the dedication, Foodlink staff shared just how far that impact reaches.

The Culinary Center’s 30,000-square-foot commercial kitchen serves as the hub for Foodlink’s children’s meal programs. During the school year, the team prepares more than 12,000 fresh, nutritious meals each weekday. During the summer, Foodlink produces nearly 200,000 meals as the lead Summer Meals provider across Monroe County. Those meals reach more than 85 locations, including schools, after-school programs, recreation centers and childcare facilities.

The kitchen is also home to Foodlink’s expanding Senior Meals work. Each week, the team prepares and delivers more than 2,000 meals to 19 senior centers and community sites throughout Monroe County. The program provides nutritious food while also helping older adults maintain connections with their communities.

And through the Foodlink Career Fellowship, this space represents something more: an opportunity to build a career and a new path forward.

Will Smith, a Class 6 graduate of the Fellowship, spoke during the celebration about his own journey through Foodlink and the opportunities the program created for him. He described how the organization provided training, mentorship and support that helped him grow from an apprentice into increasingly responsible roles within Foodlink, while giving him the opportunity to help open doors for others.

Together, those stories demonstrate why this space is such a meaningful reflection of Mary Ellen Burris’ legacy: nourishing people, investing in their potential and strengthening the community through food.

Even after Tom Ferraro’s death and her own retirement, Mary Ellen Burris remained connected to Foodlink, continuing to support the organization, stay engaged with its mission and serve as a mentor and friend.

During the naming ceremony, Julia Tedesco reflected that Mary Ellen Burris’ legacy cannot simply be measured by the millions of pounds of food that have moved through the Foodlink-Wegmans partnership. It can also be seen in the organizational culture she helped shape, the standards she established and the partnerships she nurtured.

That legacy now has a permanent home.

The Mary Ellen Burris Culinary Center will continue to be a place where thousands of meals are prepared, careers are developed and opportunities are created. Most importantly, it will ensure that future generations who walk through Foodlink’s doors know the name of a remarkable leader who helped make so much of that work possible.

Thank you, Mary Ellen Burris, for nearly 50 years of leadership, friendship, generosity and belief in Foodlink’s mission.