Contact:
202-688-1110
[email protected]
States Served:
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
Bio:
José is dedicated to advancing policies that address food insecurity and promote economic justice. As the Puerto Rico Organizer for Bread for the World, José leads advocacy efforts to expand food aid programs and strengthen anti-hunger policies, particularly for communities on the island. His work involves engaging with policymakers, faith leaders, and grassroots advocates on the island, and the P.R. Diaspora to drive systemic change through legislative action. José has participated in congressional listening sessions on the farm bill and collaborated with community organizations to amplify the voices of those directly affected by hunger. Prior to his current role, José served as Bread’s northeast organizer, covering states from Maryland to Maine, where he mobilized advocates and built coalitions to influence policy at both state and federal levels. While pursuing his law degree in Puerto Rico, José remains committed to bridging the gap between legal policy and real-world solutions to food insecurity.
José D. Soto Rivera is the Northeast Regional Organizer at Bread for the World. He empowers faith-based leaders and community representatives in the northeast to advocate for international and domestic food policy and oversees community engagement and development activities for Bread for the World’s member organizations in the region. He was the executive director of
ACOMERPR, where he created a food distribution network consisting of 130 community organizations distributing 168,000 meals annually, constructed five multigenerational community gardens with nutritional programming in impoverished regions of Puerto Rico, and propelled the creation of the first dedicated food security think tank on the archipelago. Mr. Soto has consulted for Accenture Federal Services, the Puerto Rico Information & Technology Services, the Puerto Rican Government (2017-2019), and the Jordanian Minister of Entrepreneurship (2019). He has developed public policy and overseen the implementation of multi-million-dollar projects for economic development, public health, and sustainability throughout his career and is deeply devoted to the development of Puerto Rico’s communities. Follow José and his work on
LinkedIn and
Instagram.
