Emily's Farewell Letter

Dear FEI Family Members and Friends,

Emily Brown, founder of FEI

With excitement and gratitude, I am reaching out to let you know our mission has taken a big step forward. On December 31, 2021, I’m officially stepping down as CEO of Food Equality Initiative to be the Founder and CEO of Free From Market so that I can scale our exciting work both nationally and across all health conditions where food is the standard of care.

In 2014, I set forth to provide people diagnosed with food allergy and celiac disease equal access to the foods they need to be healthy, regardless of race, geographic location, or economic status. Over the past seven years, FEI has significantly advanced this mission in the Kansas City metro.

FEI has served 327 people, raised $1.8 million, received almost $1 million worth of in-kind donations, been featured in national news, co-authored critical research with prominent national institutions, and increased coverage in the WIC program. We have so much to be proud of and none of it would’ve happened without your support, kindness, and the backing of my community.

We are at an inflection point to scale our success and mission at a national level through a new for-profit organization called Free From Market (FFM). FFM is an online marketplace where clients can have access to the healthy foods they need and have it delivered right to their door. FFM grew out of FEI and is currently the platform we use to service our clients. We built it to address the immense demand we receive from around the country and outside of Kansas City.

I leave FEI in its strongest financial position and under the incredible leadership of our own Erin Martinez who has been by my side as Director of Operations. Erin will be at the helm as FEI’s Board of Directors search for a new CEO who will continue FEI’s rise to new heights.

I will remain an active member of the FEI community serving on the Research and Advocacy Committee. I will never stop advocating for FEIs important work.

With my gratitude,

Emily Brown