Foodeliver Team

Ali Shaker, PhD,  is an educator, researcher, and nonprofit leader with a background in education, community development, and program design. As an immigrant to Canada, he has seen firsthand how systemic barriers, including food insecurity, affect families’ ability to build stable lives.

He founded Foodeliver to address a critical gap in the food system: the lack of dignified, accessible support for families who cannot or do not access traditional food programs. Under his leadership, Foodeliver has developed a dignity-first, last-mile delivery model that combines food rescue with direct distribution to support newcomer and low-income households.

Ali leads Foodeliver’s strategic direction, partnerships, and program development, working with community organizations, institutions, and private sector partners to advance a more inclusive and effective response to food insecurity.

My name is Salma Yarjani and for over a decade I’ve worked alongside newcomers in different roles and settings. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of supporting immigrant and newcomer families across Canada, and I’ve seen firsthand both the challenges they face and the resilience they bring to our communities.

I believe deeply in our mission to share kindness by making food accessible to newcomer families. Food security is a basic human need, no one should have to worry about how they will feed their family.

With Foodeliver, I work as an HR Manager, where I recruit, onboard, and support our volunteers, helping create a warm and welcoming environment for everyone. What inspires me most is being part of an organization that not only reduces food waste, but also ensures families feel respected, welcomed, and supported as they build their new lives here. I’m truly grateful to work alongside such a compassionate, like-minded team and to play a small part in bringing comfort and relief to the families we serve.

My name is Ms Jamal and I am the Drivers Coordinator for Foodeliver. My role is to support clear communication and ensure effective, timely coordination between food pick-ups by drivers, and drop-offs to clients' home. I bring skill in time management, scheduling, conflict resolution, and planning in hopes of supporting volunteers and the families we are serving.

I believe in Foodeliver's mission to work together and reduce food waste and food security in Ottawa. Access to healthy, nutritional food in a dignified way should be a right for all.

I am a great listener, patient and have a natural joy for cooking and bringing people together through food.   

Lijing Yu: With a Master’s in Urban Regeneration and a professional background in strategic planning across global cities such as Shanghai, Singapore, and Manchester, I bring a community-focused, spatial, and systems-based perspective to Foodeliver. As Research & Grant Manager, I lead the identification of funding opportunities, the development of evidence-informed grant strategies, and the preparation of compelling proposals that support Foodeliver’s growth and community impact.

I believe that access to food is deeply connected to community resilience, equity, and inclusive urban systems. Foodeliver’s commitment to bridging the gap between surplus and need aligns closely with my passion for creating more equitable, people-centred, and sustainable communities.

I describe myself as a “community-minded storyteller.” I enjoy translating community needs, program outcomes, and social impact data into clear and persuasive narratives that help mobilize support, strengthen partnerships, and turn ideas into meaningful action.

Taymaz Valley is the Social Media Coordinator for foodeliver, joining the team early on with the belief in the mission of the organization to eradicate food insecurity in Canada.

Ali Zeroual: Member of the Website Team at Foodeliver.

Ayesha Siddiqua: I am Ayesha a third-year student in IT at Carleton University. Avid in tech and always looking to learn, she was excited to join this venture in hopes to reduce food insecurity for newcomer families and reduce food wastage, thus also assisting the global climate change movement. My role at foodelive is to generate high-quality content, oversee social media accounts and successfully spread the message that foodeliver wants to convey.  

I believe in this mission because Foodeliver is a thoughtful and effective organization that bridges the gap between food access and food insecurity. By removing transportation barriers, Foodeliver ensures that newcomers who have limited or no access to reliable transportation can still receive healthy, dignified food support. This approach not only meets an immediate need but also helps ease the broader challenges newcomers face as they settle into a new community. 

I am super good at baking, like a pro. I've been told many times to sell the baked goods I make, but I'm going to continue to gatekeep my talent to just family.

Nermine Ben Khalifa: I am Nermine Ben Khalifa,I am a Graphic Designer and a member of the Social Media Team at Foodeliver. I help design social media content, promotional materials, and visual assets that support our mission and connect with the community.

As a newcomer to Canada, I understand how important community support is, especially during times of change. I appreciate Foodeliver’s work in helping newcomer communities access food in a reliable and dignified way, and I am proud to contribute by creating designs that raise awareness, encourage engagement, and connect people with the resources they need

My name is Kay Zhu, and I am a member of the Web Team at Foodeliver. I have experience in web design, development, and digital content creation, with a focus on building user-friendly and accessible digital experiences. At Foodeliver, I support website design, development, update, maintenance, and ongoing improvements.

As someone who is new to Canada, I understand how important community support can be, especially during times of transition. I value Foodeliver’s work in supporting newcomer communities through reliable and dignified food access, and I care about contributing to a system that helps reduce barriers and provides practical support to people in need.

Seojin Kim: Hi! I'm a recent graduate from the University of Ottawa with an Honours BA in Environmental Studies and a minor in Geomatics and Spatial Analysis. I'm pursuing my master's in Urban Development at TMU in September 2026. I believe Foodeliver's mission is meaningful since it provides support with food access to vulnerable populations. I'm interested in housing affordability issues, especially within vulnerable populations, which drew me into volunteering for Foodeliver. 

Hello! My name is Opeyemi Majolagbe, and I am a Master's student at the University of Ottawa, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA). At Carleton University, where I did my undergraduate studies, I volunteered at the Unified Support Centre. My experience there brought awareness to food insecurity faced by diverse communities. So, being able to join Foodeliver as a Research & Grant Associate feels like an extension of making a contribution to the community in this aspect. I am interested in research, international relations and advocacy, which also led to volunteering at Foodeliver.

Rahma Bouhajeb: My name is Rahma, and I work as a Client Intake and Onboarding Specialist at Foodeliver. I support individuals and families by guiding them through the intake process and helping them access our services in a smooth and respectful way.

Fluent in Arabic and French, I connect with people from diverse backgrounds and help bridge communication gaps. I believe in humanitarian work and the power of kindness in building a strong and supportive community.

Susana Pérez: My name is Susana, and I am part of the Donor Relations team. I combine my experience in administration and communication to cultivate lasting partnerships that support Foodeliver’s growth, ensuring our donors feel deeply connected to the tangible difference they make in the lives of our neighbors. I am passionate about connecting with people, listening to their stories, and building meaningful relationships. I love being part of a community that strives for equality and a better future for everyone.

I am truly inspired by how Foodeliver brings dignity and security to families; no one should ever feel uncertain about how they will feed their loved ones. I believe we need more people dedicated to building systems that work together for a better society.

When I’m not working, I find balance through writing, exercising, and being outdoors. I also cherish spending quality time with my family and friends.

Dina Shawish is an administrative and client relations professional with over nine years of experience in administration, operations support, coordination, and customer service. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems and an MBA. Dina is passionate about organization, community support, and contributing to meaningful initiatives that create a positive impact for families and individuals in need.  

Dr. Maram: Client Relations Coordinator at Foodeliver.