PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE a non-profit, predominantly volunteer support program.
Our Mission is to establish and sustain a community-wide effort to help meet the basic needs of residents of Burlington, Massachusetts.
People Helping People, Inc. is a non-profit organization with the goal of ensuring that residents of Burlington, MA have access to resources to meet their basic needs. We do this by providing weekly food assistance through our Food Pantry, providing Thanksgiving meals and holiday gifts for children through our Holiday Programs, and by providing financial assistance through our Covenant for Basic Needs fund.
Ways to get involved:
- Volunteer at the People Helping People Community Food Pantry
- Assist with the Holiday Program
- Fundraising Support
Our History
People Helping People began in the late 70’s when a volunteer from a local church in Burlington saw the need for basic assistance within his community.
His outreach began by handing out Thanksgiving baskets of food from the American Legion Hall in town. He also gave gifts to children in need at Christmas as the Burlington Santa. As word of his efforts grew, so did the need. Another volunteer was recruited to take over as the Burlington Santa, and in 1980, a third volunteer began the Community Pantry.
The pantry, operating out of the basement of the United Church of Christ, Congregational, supplied donated food to Burlington residents who were in need of food all year long, not just around the holidays. The activities of People Helping People were funded largely by the Church’s Deacon’s Fund. The United Church of Christ, Congregational continues to be one of our largest contributors, also planning and housing our annual Thanksgiving food distribution, known as the In-Gathering.
In 1981, a Burlington Policeman found a mother and two children living out of a car. The Burlington Clergy Association was told about the situation and made an immediate decision to help, not only this family, but others like them. They established the Burlington Covenant for Basic Needs and turned to the Burlington Community Life Center to centralize the screening and funding process. In the early days, funds were provided mainly by houses of worship in town represented by the Burlington Clergy Association. As the need for emergency help grew in town, so did the organization. In 1988, these few volunteers incorporated People Helping People as an umbrella organization combining the Burlington Community Pantry, the Covenant for Basic Needs and the Burlington Santa, or Wish Tree (Holiday Program) as it is known today.
Our Staff
Helping Burlington, Massachusetts Residents in Need!
Jim spent much of his career working at Fidelity Investments as well as at a small software company in Andover, managing software developers. Prior to joining People Helping People’s staff, he spent a few years as the shop manager of True North café in Burlington. Jim joined PHP in 2021 and has taken on the role of Executive Director. Jim is originally from West Roxbury, MA and settled in Burlington with his wife in 1995. They have 3 wonderful children and 1 beautiful granddaughter. Jim’s favorite activities include golfing, hiking, spending time with family and friends, watching local sporting events, and tackling the occasional Do-It-Yourself project.
Julie graduated from culinary school in 2008 and spent much of her career working in retail and food service management. She has always had a passion for hunger alleviation and channeled that passion through volunteer work. In particular, she has co-coordinated the annual People Helping People Thanksgiving program for over 10 years in conjunction with her church. When the opportunity arose for Julie to combine her food management experience with her passion for helping those in need by joining People Helping People’s staff as their Pantry Manager, she did not hesitate. During her time at People Helping People, Julie has formed the Burlington Community Collaborative, a group of nonprofit organizations and social service agencies who meet regularly to share support and foster collaboration within the Burlington community. Julie’s favorite parts about working for People Helping People are getting to know the clients and their stories, and interacting with the dozens of incredible volunteers who work at the pantry and in the garden each week. When she’s not at the food pantry, Julie can be found spending time with her husband and 3 kids, digging in her vegetable and flower gardens, playing music, or baking up something delicious in the kitchen.
Prior to joining the People Helping People staff as Pantry Assistant, Abby got to know PHP as a delivery driver for Spoonfuls, a food rescue organization. For several years she delivered fresh food to the pantry each week. In January of 2024 the opportunity arose to join the pantry staff, and Abby has loved becoming a part of the PHP community. In addition to working in food rescue, Abby has a background working outdoors with the Department of Conservation and Recreation as part of their urban tree planting program, and serving with AmeriCorps St. Louis, a conservation and disaster relief organization. Abby’s favorite parts of working at PHP include getting to know all of the incredible volunteers, serving the Burlington community, and volunteering in the Victory Garden. When she is not at the pantry, Abby enjoys hiking, running, cooking, baking, being outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.
After retiring from her 33-year career in IT at State Street Corporation, Julie was looking for a way to give back to her community. She began volunteering at People Helping People’s food pantry and enjoyed making new friends, sharing kindness, and providing for her neighbors. After some time, the opportunity arose for her to join the PHP staff as Volunteer Coordinator. Julie and her husband Bob (Biswanger) of 35 years have three wonderful children and 2 beautiful grandchildren. When she’s not recruiting volunteers, filling vacant shifts, or planning events with People Helping People, Julie enjoys crafting, reading, traveling, music, and theater, just to name a few!
Board Members
Elizabeth joined the PHP Board of Directors in April 2023 and is Chair of the Governance Committee. She is a seasoned human resources executive with more than 20 years of experience in the life sciences and other industries. As a Vice President of Human Resources, she is responsible for all aspects of HR including culture, talent acquisition, retention, employee relations, learning and development, benefits, performance management, leadership development strategy, and diversity and inclusion program development. She partners with other senior leaders to build effective teams to support the short- and long-term goals of the organization. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics with a minor in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and completed the CHRO Program at Wharton Executive Education.
She grew up in Burlington and moved back when her daughter, who is now a junior in college, was born.
Kim Trainor has resided in Burlington for over 20 years with her husband, Chris. She has obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Plymouth State College and her MBA in Finance from Bentley College. Kim has years of experience in customer and technical support in the financial industry. Currently, she serves as the Operations Manager at a local non-profit and has been a dedicated volunteer at the Burlington Food Pantry for many years. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and participating in outdoor activities.
Kim Walsh is the Treasurer and member of People Helping People Board of Directors, since 2018. She first became involved with the organization as a volunteer for the Holiday Program, sorting gifts for the children of pantry clients. Kim has a BS in Accounting and MBA from Boston College and is currently employed at New Balance, an athletic footwear manufacturer. She has been with New Balance for over 20 years in various Finance positions and is currently a Director of Corporate Finance and Treasury.
Janet Sullivan Fitzgerald has been affiliated with People Helping People since 2007. Janet is a graduate of Fine Mortuary College and employed as a Funeral Director at the Edward V Sullivan Funeral Home in Burlington. Janet has held many roles within PHP throughout the years but her primary focus has been in fundraising. She has been involved in many different aspects of fundraising with the two most impactful events being the Wine Tasting & Charity Auction at the Cafe Escadrille for the past 11 years as well as the Capital Grille Holiday Raffle for the past 12 years.
Marcia Aulenback joined the People Helping People BOD in 2020 just as Covid got into full swing and the pantry began to expand its operations.. She currently serves on both the Finance & Program committees and has assisted with the Wish Tree program for many years. Marcia is a graduate of Bentley University where she holds a BS in Accountancy and an MS in Taxation. She is employed by State Street Corporation focusing on corporate tax technology. Marcia is an active member of St Veronica’s Parish where she serves as a coordinator of their Christmas Giving Tree program and is a member of the Finance council. She & her family have resided in Burlington for over 30 years.
Elyssa Bailey has been an active member of the People Helping People board since 2024. Elyssa is a graduate of Boston University and currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer at Call2Recycle, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainability through responsible end-of-life management of batteries. As an experienced Project Management Professional (PMP) with extensive experience in leadership roles across nonprofit, government, consulting, and corporate sectors, Elyssa is passionate about bringing together people, processes, and technology to advance the missions of purpose-driven organizations. Elyssa joined People Helping People to support this amazing organization's efforts to amplify its positive impact on the community and improve the lives of those it serves. She lives in Reading, MA, with her partner and their dog, and a noisey family of eagles that roosts outside her window in the winter.
Marty Damian has been affiliated with People Helping People since 2024 Marty is a graduate of Northeastern University and employed at PointClickCare, a healthcare record provider collaborating with senior care providers. Marty has been in the senior care workforce for over two decades with a focus on improving the quality of life and services for all seniors. Prior to joining PointClickcare, Marty worked for providers including Sunrise Senior Living, Brookdale Living and Genesis Healthcare in roles including direct and indirect oversight of community operations and resident care.
Marty joined the People Helping People family to continue with his mission of improving the lives of others. While Marty may not be a resident of Burlington, his ties with Burlington family and friends are strong. A resident of Tewksbury, if you don’t see Marty with a Dunkin’ Iced Coffee in hand, do a double take to make sure it is him.
Ray has been a resident of Burlington since 2006 and joined the PHP Board in 2024. He has three sons and six grandchildren.
His business experience includes Citibank in NYC; BankBoston/FleetBoston, Digital Equipment Corporation, The Yankee Companies (AMEX listed), TowerGroup, founder and CEO of Graber Associates, and SVP at NE Automated Clearing House (NEACH).
Ray was an adjunct professor at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College where he taught several graduate-level courses: the Financial Management of Commercial Banks, E-Banking, the MBA Leadership Course, and Corporate Finance as well as Working Capital Management and Cash Management at the Bentley College Graduate Business Program. He also taught several undergraduate courses at both schools.
Ray holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and an MBA in Finance and MIS, both from Boston College.
Robert Krieg (2017) and his wife, Kathy, have been volunteers at the Pantry for many years. Robert has been a member of the Board since 2021. Robert is a member of the Program Committee.
Robert is a graduate of Syracuse University (1965). He spent over 35 years as a developer of computer accounting applications.
Robert is a longtime resident of Burlington. His daughter, Alison, is a graduate of Burlington H.S. She is currently a TV documentary producer at CNN.
Robert’s primary emphasis is to make PHP’s staff and volunteer experience as impactful and enjoyable as possible.
Dalton Rolli, a passionate advocate for helping others, recently joined the Board of People Helping People after starting on the Development Committee in May 2024. Dalton launched his career at The Nagler Group—a locally owned and managed, full-service staffing firm specializing in HR, Admin, and Legal staffing out of their Woburn and Boston offices—following a successful internship during his undergraduate years at Saint Anselm College (May 2016). Throughout his time on campus and beyond, Dalton has consistently demonstrated a commitment to making a positive impact on both individuals and the community. Along with PHP, he actively volunteers by coaching hockey, participating in Relay for Life, the Boston Children’s Corporate Cup, and serving as a Board Member for The Mike Capasso Foundation.
Originally from Wilmington, MA, Dalton now resides in Burlington with his wife and their dog, Garrison.
Anil Saigal is a member of the People Helping People Board of Directors.
Anil Saigal is currently a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University. He served as the Chair of the Department from 2002-2007. He is a graduate of IIT Bombay and received his PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
He is a Life Member of IAGB, IIT Association of New England, Indian Americans for Burlington, and IANH. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from IIT Bombay. He has served on the Massachusetts Governor’s Asian American Economic Council and the Massachusetts Asian American Commission. He is the Founder of Lokvani.com, a weekly emagazine serving the Indian American community since 2001. The magazine has over 40,000 subscribers.
Judy Walsh joined the PHP Board in 2000 and has served on the board in the capacity of Vice President and President. She has a BS in Education from Framingham State College and a Masters in Education from Boston University. She taught in Arlington (her hometown) for 7 years. She returned to teaching after her two daughters Cheryl and Kim were in school. She taught at Wildwood School for two years before moving to Fox Hill for 21 years. She retired in 2010 but continues to substitute teach at Fox Hill today. As a Board member she has held the role of secretary, vice president and president. For over 10 years she has chaired the Holiday Program and is a member of the Program and Development Committees. She has been a Burlington resident since 1968.