Donor Profile: Laura McTaggart

When Laura McTaggart’s children were young, birthday parties came with a twist: Guests were routinely told not to bring presents. Instead, they were asked to give nonperishable foods to be donated to local pantries.

It was a simple way to teach generosity — and one that reflected Laura’s deep commitment to community. 

Decades later, Laura and her husband, Thomas Nolan, continue to embody that same spirit of thoughtful philanthropy. They recently made a generous multiyear pledge of financial support to the Newton Food Pantry, allowing us to expand our services and reach.

“We can all understand food and its importance to people’s ability to live healthy lives,” Laura says.

Laura’s commitment to service runs deep. After graduating from the University of Michigan, where she completed ROTC, she served as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy. She is now a business consultant and also brings her skills to the nonprofit sector through board service and volunteer work. Laura currently chairs the board of directors at Shelter Music Boston and volunteers with both Community Action Partners and Social Venture Partners Boston.

“As a nonprofit leader, consultant and philanthropist,” says Laura, “I like to give where I know what’s going on. My business background gives me a sense of the effectiveness of an organization, and I know the Newton Food Pantry is an extremely well-run operation.”

Laura is also a deacon at Newton Presbyterian Church, where community and service remain central to her life. She and Thomas have lived in Newton Centre for 17 years and raised their two children there.

“I know very well through working with nonprofits that there’s no better revenue than multiyear gifts — to be able to count on having a certain amount of money each year,” she says. “At a lot of nonprofits, they have only a few people and they do a lot of work. If I can take something off your plate, that’s a gift unto itself.”

Multiyear donors provide the Newton Food Pantry with essential support that helps us plan ahead, adapt to changing needs, and operate more efficiently. Such commitment also helps ensure that families facing food insecurity can rely on dependable resources — not just today, but in the years to come.

Says Laura, “I’m investing in something that I want to be sure is sustainable and that thrives.”

To learn how you can help support the Newton Food Pantry through a multiyear giving pledge, please contact Executive Director Jeff Lemberg at jeff@newtonfoodpantry.org.