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North Shore Community College Announces Innovative Food Service Partnership with Salem Nonprofit Root

Collaboration to Launch in Fall 2026, Bringing Enhanced Dining Options, Workforce Training, and Community-Focused Impact to Campus Communities

Lynn and Danvers, MA (08/25/2026) — North Shore Community College (NSCC) today announced an exciting new partnership with Root, a Salem-based nonprofit, to serve as the college's official food service and catering partner. The collaboration will be fully operational beginning in the fall 2026 semester, serving students and employees in campus cafeterias from 8 AM to 6 PM Monday through Thursday and 8 AM to 2 PM on Friday.

Root addresses two interconnected challenges: youth unemployment and food insecurity. Root empowers young adults ages 16 to 26 facing barriers to success to build pathways to independence through culinary training and employment. Through its Culinary Training Program and Alumni Employment Program, Root equips young adults with industry-recognized credentials, life skills, and sustained career support post graduation, positioning them for meaningful work that nourishes their community. Root's Community Catering Program produces meals for local distribution partners, which addresses food insecurity while supporting local farms and creating sustainable employment for Root alumni.

For nearly 10 years, Root has built the infrastructure, partnerships, and operational expertise required to deliver high-quality job training, run a robust catering business, and produce and distribute tens of thousands of meals annually to communities facing food insecurity.

"We are incredibly excited to welcome Root to the NSCC family," said NSCC President William Heineman. "Through this partnership, NSCC is investing in a local organization that shares our fundamental commitment to education, opportunity, and community well-being. Together, we are building a collaboration that supports our students, strengthens our community, and creates meaningful workforce development opportunities right here on the North Shore."

Root's success has been built on strong partnerships and collaboration. By stepping into this new role at NSCC, Root becomes more than a traditional food vendor; the partnership represents a deep alignment of values, a shared commitment to regional equity and education, and deepens Root's core mission of training and employing young adults and nourishing the community.

NSCC's partnership to Root marks a new chapter for campus dining, introducing enhanced options and modern conveniences for students, faculty, and staff. Key features of the new service will include:

  • Dual-campus operations: Dining services will be available at both the Lynn and Danvers campuses.
  • Modern convenience: The rollout will feature streamlined digital amenities, including online ordering and advance pickup options.
  • Expanded career pathways: The partnership will create 15-20 new employment opportunities for Root graduates, including roles with room to grow into higher-responsibility positions, and introduction and access to certificate and degree programs at NSCC
  • Community integration: Menus and culinary programs will tie back to Root's core mission of "Feeding Opportunity and Community."

"Root is thrilled to partner with North Shore Community College to bring fresh, scratch-made food to the Lynn and Danvers campuses," said Nate Berkowitz, executive director of Root. "We opened our doors in Salem in 2017 to train young adults who have too often been overlooked or underestimated for good, stable culinary careers. This partnership lets us do that work on an even bigger stage-nourishing NSCC students and staff while creating new jobs for our graduates, some of whom are already taking classes on these very campuses."

For more information about North Shore Community College, visit northshore.edu. To learn more about Root's mission, visit rootns.org.

About North Shore Community College

Celebrating 60+ years of learning, service, and impact, North Shore Community College (NSCC) proudly serves 26+ cities and towns across Massachusetts' North Shore with campuses in Lynn and Danvers. Founded in 1965, NSCC delivers high-quality, affordable, and accessible education to more than 7,000 students in more than 40 unique degree and 30+ certificate programs each year, along with thousands of noncredit learners. The College also supports lifelong learning for more than 640,000 residents through workforce training, professional development, cultural enrichment, and community partnerships-demonstrating the enduring value of community college in transforming lives and strengthening the regional economy.

About Root

Feeding Opportunity and Community: Root is a non-profit social enterprise based in Salem, MA, addressing two interconnected challenges: youth unemployment and food insecurity. Root empowers young adults ages 16-26, who have been overlooked or underestimated, to build pathways to independence through culinary training and employment. Since opening its doors, Root has graduated 269 young adults from its Culinary Training Program (as of August 2026) and provided employment for more than 60 alumni through its Alumni Employment Program. Root's Community Catering Program has produced more than 175,000 meals for food-insecure households across the North Shore.

Media Attachments

NSCC College President William Heineman.

NSCC College President William Heineman.

Root graduates: Danny Montezuma, Nevaeh Isales, and Nick Carpenter along with Rondner Reyes in the NSCC kitchen.

Nate Berkowitz, executive director of Root.

Nate Berkowitz, executive director of Root.

North Shore Community College

North Shore Community College Marketing, marketing@northshore.edu; Doreen Maciak, Assistant Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications, dmaciak@northshore.edu (978) 739-5436

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