Meet Maria Vargas
Meet Maria Vargas, a Nutrition Advocate for the Neighborhood Food Action Collaborative
In 2026, our food access initiative, the Neighborhood Food Action Collaborative (NFAC) expanded our food resource peer advocacy program to include nutrition education, made possible by funding from Mass General Brigham. Co-designed alongside BOND of Color nutritionists and our current peer advocates, this new curriculum is culturally-responsive and linguistically tailored in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole for 1:1 outreach at city-wide mobile market sites co-hosted by MGB and the YMCA of Greater Boston. To showcase this work in action, we sat down with one of our Nutrition Advocates, Maria Vargas to learn more about her family’s journey to the U.S, how her upbringing inspired her passion for serving others, and the transformative power of community.
Raised in the Dominican Republic between the countryside and the country's capital, Maria Vargas grew up surrounded by a culture of generosity and community care. “My mom would cook a lot and share our food with our neighbors,” she recalls. “Everyone was welcome to eat in my home.” This upbringing, in which her parents modeled helping others as a part of everyday life, instilled a lifelong passion for service that has guided Maria’s life as an adult: As she beautifully puts it: “Lo llevo en la sangre. Es algo que traigo conmigo en el corazón” / “[Serving others] is something I carry in my blood. It’s something that I always have with me in my heart.”
“[Serving others] is something I carry in my blood. It’s something that I always have with me in my heart.”
Maria’s first job was helping formerly incarcerated individuals integrate back into society. Working with a local priest, she provided case management support, assisting these individuals to find housing, pursue vocational courses, and find employment. While she found this role extremely rewarding, financial pressures led her to take a job as a pharmaceutical sales representative. In 2021, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maria and her family’s financial situation reached a crisis point when her husband lost his job. In search of safety and economic opportunity, their family relocated to the US. Maria remembers the stress of looking for housing, applying to jobs, and getting her four kids settled in school all while adjusting to a new country and culture.
In the face of these challenges, Maria’s community-oriented values became her greatest assets. She quickly befriended neighbors, parents at her children’s school, and others who generously helped her build a life in Boston. Recognizing her strong interpersonal skills, a social worker encouraged her to step into her potential as a community leader, urging her to learn English and expand her network. As someone who loves to challenge herself, Maria took this advice to heart. She obtained her childcare provider license and actively participated in groups like the Boston’s Higher Ground Parent Advisory Council. Her involvement in the community was noticed, and she was soon hired as a Network Coordinator with Union Capital (Boston), and ultimately a Nutrition Advocate at Vital CxNs.
“It means a lot to give people information in their own language because they can better understand it and bring up any questions or concerns”
In talking about her experience as an advocate, her passion is clear. “Me gusta enseñar a la gente algo nuevo, de que se preocupe por su salud” / “I like to teach people new things, like how to take care of their health.” She especially enjoys being able to utilize her bilingual skills to break down access barriers for the Latine community: “Significa mucho poder llevar a la gente información en su propio idioma porque así ellos pueden entenderlo y pueden hacer cualquiera pregunta, cualquier inquietud y yo puedo respondérsela.” / “It means a lot to give people information in their own language because they can better understand it and bring up any questions or concerns, and I can answer them.” Maria says she has even taught her children to leverage their own bilingual skills to help others, even strangers, whenever they need it.
Maria is currently working to earn her certification as a Community Health Worker at Urban College, eager to deepen her impact. She says, “Espero seguir regando la voz y trabajando por y para la comunidad por mucho más tiempo” / “I hope to continue spreading the word [about important information and resources] and working on behalf of and for the community for a long time.”
Written by Briana Acosta (July 2026)