Sasha Purpura

Alexandra 'Sasha' Purpura (née Willoughby) is an American non-profit executive and sustainable agriculturist. She is the former CEO of Food For Free[1] and Daily Table,[2] and currently serves as co-chair of the Make Hunger History coalition’s advisory council.[3] A former software engineer,[4] Purpura co-founded Plato's Harvest Organic Farm in 2005[5] and has served on numerous civic boards, including the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce and the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition.[6][7][8]

Sasha with Ray Magliozzi of Car Talk at Food For Free annual fundraising gala October 2016

Career

Purpura graduated in computer science in 1994. She was a software engineer, product manager, and manager with Lotus, Nokia, and Iron Mountain.[4][9] In 2005, she co-founded Plato’s Harvest Organic Farm with her husband, David Purpura.[5] Inspired by the experience, she changed career in 2009, first acquiring an MBA in Organizational Sustainability, then joining Food For Free as executive director in July 2012. As CEO, she transformed it from serving just Cambridge to serving the region. Under her leadership, it grew its operating revenues from $400,000 in 2012 to $4.1 million at the time of her departure in 2022.[9][1][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

She was CEO of the non-profit grocery chain Daily Table until it closed in 2025.[2][9][17]

Purpura then returned to sustainable agriculture at Plato's Harvest. However, she remained engaged in Massachusetts food policy as co-chair of Make Hunger History’s advisory council.[3]

Sasha Purpura rescuing leftover food at the Cambridge Central Square Farmers Market

References

  1. 1 2 Kara Baskin (2018-11-27). "Getting food to those who need it, with heaping portions of dignity". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  2. 1 2 Treffeisen, Beth (2025-05-12). "Nonprofit grocery chain Daily Table to shut down operations". Boston.com. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  3. 1 2 "Make Hunger History Coalition". makehungerhistoryma.org. Retrieved 2026-04-23. Advisory Council ... Sasha Purpura
  4. 1 2 "Food For Free FY18 Annual Report" (PDF). Food For Free. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2026-04-23. Staff Bios... Sasha Purpura...spent 15 years in high-tech ... 8 [of those] years ... wanting to do something else
  5. 1 2 Elwell, Alice C. (2010-02-17). "As snow falls, summer veggies sprout in Middleboro". The Repository - Canton. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  6. ↑ "Sasha Purpura". Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  7. ↑ "Speakers — Harvard Food Better". Harvard Food Better. 2015. Retrieved 2026-04-23. ...Slow Money Boston, and is a founding member of Sprout Lenders...
  8. ↑ "Food For Free". Central Square Business Association. 2017-07-30. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  9. 1 2 3 Norbert Wilson (2025-02-05). "E263: Explore the Daily Table non profit grocery store model - World Food Policy Center". Duke Sanford: World Food Policy Center. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  10. ↑ Levy, Marc (2022-11-28). "Purpura steps down as Food For Free chief, leaving hunger nonprofit in good position". Cambridge Day. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  11. ↑ "Cambridge nonprofit helps send students home with healthy food for the weekend". Boston 25 News. 2019-12-04. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  12. ↑ "Home News Here: Food For Free Commemorates 40 Years of Food Rescue in Massachusetts". Congresswoman Katherine Clark. 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  13. ↑ Judy Woodruff (2019-02-06). "How uneaten college cafeteria meals can help fight food insecurity". PBS News. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  14. ↑ Scott Kirsner (2019-12-29). "Technology and planning are helping to take a bite out of food waste". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  15. ↑ Duncan, Nicole (2016-05-12). "Leaning into Leftovers". QSR Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-22. Food For Free seeks out healthy items rather than processed foods that are so often donated. As executive director Sasha Purpura says, it provides surplus food, not lesser food.
  16. ↑ Asefa, Elizabeth (2015-10-29). "Harvard's efforts to feed the hungry recognized". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  17. ↑ Kana Ruhalter, Arun Rath (2025-01-14). "40% of people who qualify for food pantries don't go. This nonprofit is changing that". WGBH Boston Public Radio. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
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