Brown University student named Congressional Medal of Honor Society awardee

AIDAN REILLY, a senior at Brown University who helped co-found a nonprofit that addresses food insecurity by repurposing produce surplus, was named a 2021 Congressional Medal of Honor Society Citizen Honors awardee. / COURTESY BROWN UNIVERSITY

PROVIDENCE – Aidan Reilly, a senior at Brown University who helped co-found a nonprofit that addresses food insecurity by repurposing produce surplus, was named a 2021 Congressional Medal of Honor Society Citizen Honors awardee in the Service Act category for his work.

Brown said Reilly, along with fellow awardee Stanford University student James Kanoff, co-founded The Farmlink Project. The team included students from colleges across the U.S. and worked together to help with the food crisis as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March 2020, Brown said.

According to the society, Reilly and Kanoff were chosen for the award for “their selfless services as they responded to a nationwide crisis during (and because of) a global pandemic to create a grassroots initiative connecting farmers with surplus product to communities in need.”

Farmlink Project, with more than 200 volunteers nationwide, helped rescue and deliver close to 30 million pounds of surplus produce to people in need, Brown said.

- Advertisement -

“We are beyond grateful to even be considered for an award like this,” Reilly and Kanoff said in a statement. “Truthfully, the Farmlink Project’s work is a result of the hundreds of young volunteers across the country fighting day and night to keep families fed amid the pandemic. Our work is far from done, and we hope this award can help create lasting change for people and our planet.”

Brown students Will Collier, Ben Collier, Jordy Hartzell, Max Goldman, Manny Castro, Sierra Fang-Horvath, Patrick Nasta, Katie Dvonch, Abby Healy, Max Haigney, Ava Schully, Grace Austin and Sam Masto were also part of the Farmlink Project team, Brown said.

Reilly will be recognized by the society July 14.

James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.

No posts to display