Jeanne Michon

Jeanne Michon is a chef, nonprofit leader, and lifelong community advocate whose career has been dedicated to feeding and caring for people in need for more than four decades. Based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Jeanne began her professional journey on May 16, 1986, at just 18 years old, working as a nurse’s aide while helping care for mentally disabled adults. Raised in a large family with limited financial resources, she learned early the value of hard work, resilience, and compassion. During her off-hours, she volunteered at a local soup kitchen and meal site serving the homeless, unknowingly beginning a mission that would shape the rest of her life. It was there that she met her husband, who was helping build homeless shelters, and together they built both a family and a life centered around service to others.

Although Jeanne had always dreamed of attending culinary school, financial obstacles initially stood in the way. Through determination and support from her husband, she eventually enrolled at Johnson & Wales University, graduating magna cum laude in 1994 with a degree in Culinary Arts and induction into the Silver Kiana Society. Alongside her culinary career, she spent 15 years working with Hospice Care Rhode Island, supporting terminally ill patients and their families with compassion and dignity. Over the years, she served as head chef at an Italian restaurant, worked as a private chef, became a chef and instructor, and later earned her teaching assistant certification during the COVID-19 pandemic. At age 40, Jeanne welcomed her first child and devoted five years to being a full-time mother before returning to the community meal site she had volunteered with for decades, eventually becoming its chef for six years.

When the original meal site closed, Jeanne and two other women knew the community still needed support, so they reopened the nonprofit in 2017 under the name New Beginnings. Today, Jeanne serves as the organization’s Executive Director, chef, and last remaining founder, overseeing daily operations while continuing to prepare meals and lead outreach efforts. Under her leadership, New Beginnings recently purchased its first building and began renovations to expand its impact. Jeanne estimates she has helped serve nearly one million meals over the past 40 years, a milestone she celebrated during her 40th anniversary of community service. Her dedication has earned numerous honors, including recognition as Southern New England’s Remarkable Woman, the Rotary Vocational Award, Grand Marshal of Autumnfest, and the Boys & Girls Club Distinguished Service Award. Guided by resiliency, positivity, and a belief that “there is always a way to make a way,” Jeanne continues to inspire others through her unwavering commitment to feeding both bodies and spirits in her community.