The Dorchester Food Co-op took a big step into its future last month with the hiring of Christian Perry as its new director. A graduate of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis and a former Peace Corps volunteer, Christian began his new role on Nov. 29.

“Knowing his strong background in community organizing, we’re thrilled to see Christian take the Co-op through its next chapter — building on the great foundational work that Darnell Adams [former Co-op Project Manager] accomplished,” said Co-op Board Chair Alison Brown.

Perry will be taking the reins as the Co-op sees membership top 700 and a site location looms large. As the agency embarks on a strategic planning in 2018, his academic training in business administration will be helpful. “I think about a co-op as a place where hope can live. It’s an opportunity to build community in a way that is powerful and can bring changes like better access to healthy food, and local economic development,” he said.

Perry comes to the work with both “head and heart,” eager to listen to community members and Co-op member-owners and mobilize the community to action as well as to consider the organization’s next steps. “My passion is building people power and doing so in ways that allow us to live out what we want our world to look like,”he says. “The Co-op is an opportunity for experimentation - with what it means to be community-centered, community-led, and membership-owned. These are the types of principles that we’re always talking about, how can we start to live them out?”

There will be a welcome event for Perry in January. To read the Co-op’s welcome interview with him, visit its website: dorchesterfoodcoop.com.

The Dorchester Food Co-op will be a tenant in a new, 6,057-sq. ft. retail space that is planned for 191-195 Bowdoin Street.