Anne Langebartels

Noah Thomas joined the Table to Table team in June of 2024 as a Summer term Green Iowa AmeriCorps service member. He served as a Food Recovery Support and Training Specialist, becoming the point person for assisting with day-to-day tasks and challenges such as last-minute routes, leading weekly partner pickups, and other various projects to help streamline operations. Noah says of his role, “At T2T, you never know what challenges will pop up. This enabled me to become a more flexible and prepared worker so I could fill the needs of the task at hand.” 

Noah is a student at the University of Iowa entering his third year as a triple major in Political Science, Ethics, and International Relations. He came into his service term with a curiosity and passion for the food recovery system and said of his time at Table to Table, “It has been a rewarding and impactful employment experience, more so than any other position I have held.” 

Upon completing his service term, Noah took the time to reflect on some of his specific experiences and how his time at Table to Table impacted him.

  One of the most memorable experiences was our special Chipotle pickups. A new location for the restaurant opened up in Coralville and they contacted T2T to do 8 special pickups for specific times. The training for their new employees entailed simulating a normal workday, during which they produced a large amount of prepared food that would be wasted if not picked up by T2T. One of the two daily pickups was to be done at 8:30 pm. I took part in 3 of the 4 night pickups with other AmeriCorps members. It was a fun experience to rescue that much food, and our partners were very happy to receive it. 

I feel what made serving at T2T so enjoyable was the people. The other AmeriCorps members, T2T staff, our dedicated volunteers, and those from our partner organizations who work so hard to serve the public are all people whom I interacted with daily. All of these people brightened my day in different ways. Knowing that what we were doing was helping the community made it feel like less of a job. It was never something to be dreaded, in fact I consistently looked forward to every day I spent at T2T. I truly think the most challenging aspect of working at T2T will be leaving.

Although his three month term flew by in the blink of an eye, Noah claims his short time at Table to Table sparked a shift in perspective that restored his hope that there are truly good things and good people out there. Because of this he has decided to continue as a volunteer following his service term. Thank you, Noah!

Table to Table welcomed Emma Duncan to the team in June of 2024 as one of our Summer term Green Iowa AmeriCorps service members. During her service here, Emma helped us rescue 340,267 lbs. of produce, much of which was distributed to our neighbors at our weekly Free Produce Stands, a program she devoted much of her time to developing and expanding. Additionally, Emma served as a core support team member, taking on important daily responsibilities like program coverage, fleet & facility, and assisting with the gleaning program. “These experiences were invaluable for understanding how the entire Table to Table organization operates. I also found contributing to these programs extremely fulfilling personally and helped me feel connected to the Iowa City community,” Emma said of the multi-faceted nature of her role.

With a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development from the University of Iowa, and an undergraduate background in business, marketing, and environmental studies, Emma came to us with an existing interest in sustainable practices and lots of valuable experience that made her a great asset to our team. Coming into her service term, Emma’s goals were to learn more about the local food system, as well as improve her communication and planning skills. “My Table to Table experience exceeded these expectations. I gained confidence in my decision-making skills and developed a sense of agency that really took me by surprise,” Emma commented on the ways in which she grew both personally and professionally.

Upon concluding her service term, Emma took some time to reflect on her experience in food rescue and the ways in which Table to Table helped her achieve these goals:

In my last week of service, another AmeriCorps member and I organized a last-minute adjustment to a route so that we could collect over 700 pounds of watermelon. At the beginning of my term, I would not have felt comfortable making the call on whether I had the capacity to make such a large impromptu rescue, however, my improved decision-making skills helped me feel confident in my decision. I also found my interactions with volunteers, staff, and the community extremely rewarding and important to fine-tuning my communication skills. Additionally, I gained insights into community needs, received career and life advice, and laughed countless times all while contributing to a deeply impactful cause.

Despite serving at Table to Table for less than three months, Emma cites her experiences here as immensely impactful, especially from the perspective of transitioning from higher education to the workforce. “Thank you to the Table to Table staff, volunteers, AmeriCorps members, and partners!” No, thank you, Emma!

Adam McFee joined our ranks in January of 2024 as a weekly route volunteer before becoming a Summer term Green Iowa AmeriCorps member in June to serve as our Gleaning Coordinator. What excited him the most about this change was his personal interest in food rescue and sustainable practices, and the chance to have such a direct positive impact on his community. Building off the foundational work for our gleaning network set in place by a previous AmeriCorps member, Marquis Heard, Adam was able to increase the amount of food rescued through gleans by 106% compared to 2023, for a total of 2,046 lbs. of produce. He worked with five new growers in addition to existing partners and completed 27 gleans during the course of his term. 

Adam has plans to graduate from the University of Iowa in the Spring of 2025 with a degree in Environmental Policy and Planning. He came to us with previous experience working with Iowa produce farms and volunteering at the University of Iowa Food Pantry, as well as an existing interest in food systems and security. This made him an enthusiastic, motivated, and insightful addition to our team. 

Upon completing his service term in August, Adam took the time to reflect on his experience and impact at Table to Table. 

From the start of the summer, the training process felt very deliberate. I found that beginning training with the big-picture presentation on the Table to Table mission really got me motivated and I began to understand what my role would be on a day-to-day basis. Marquis was super important at first for getting started and offered lots of insight on glean-specific information. Most of the growers I gleaned with this summer had been found and contacted before I started, which I owe to Marquis, he really had the program on its legs before I started. 

This was my first job where I felt I had real agency over my time and how I would do the job. I was able to really build up the program in the way I felt was most effective and have a real hands-on role in its development. Fitting around program coverage, I thought of Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesday mornings as my slots for gleans, and aimed for two or three gleans a week. I created a thoughtful and deliberate process through which I approached my daily responsibilities for setting up and executing gleans, in addition to serving as a core support team member for regular operations as well. The dynamic nature of my role and the independence it allowed me really helped me grow professionally and personally in ways I will carry with me throughout all my future endeavors. 

Adam took the liberty of compiling and analyzing all the data he collected from his time as Gleaning Coordinator, offering valuable insight and suggestions for the ongoing development of our gleaning program. His dedication and thoughtful, deliberate approach to his work made a huge impact on Table to Table and the growth of our gleaning program. Thank you, Adam!

Position Summary:

As a Communications Strategist VISTA for Table to Table in Iowa City, you will streamline communications processes for a regional network of food donors and other allied organizations. Your service term will leave you well-equipped to coordinate an organization’s outreach to volunteers, donors, and the public. You will research and support applications for new sources of funding and spearhead marketing of the organization to local businesses to form marketing partnerships. You will lead the team in updating the website to new brand standards and create ongoing content about current activities for Table to Table’s website and social media accounts with a particular focus on accessibility for diverse audiences as well as ease of use for food transportation workers seeking to donate rejected product that is still safe to eat. You’ll develop and share consistent county-level service information with the community to build broad awareness of resources available among the general public.

Read more about member benefits here.

Table to Table Communications Strategist AmeriCorps Nourish Iowa VISTA 2024-2025

Schedule and Duration:

32 hours per week for one year posting. Primarily four days per week from 8AM to 4PM with some flexibility, and some evening hours. One remote work day per week offered. Other days and times as needed and agreed upon.

Required: Willing to consent to an AmeriCorps background check.

About AmeriCorps VISTA

As a member in the AmeriCorps VISTA program, you serve full time for one-year. You will build capacity in nonprofit organizations and public agencies to help them more effectively generate the commitment of private sector resources, encourage volunteer service at the local level, and empower individuals and communities.  As an AmeriCorps member you will serve in a project identified and managed by the community while earning a modest living allowance that reflects the income level of the community where you’re serving. Learn more here >

Financial Information, Benefits, & Additional Information: https://americorps.gov/members-volunteers/vista/benefits

Supervision Given by: The Communications Strategist VISTA is supervised by the T2T Executive Director and is part of a team including the T2T Communications & Development Coordinator.

If you’re interested in this AmeriCorps position, please submit an email of interest and/or a resume and cover letter (welcome but not required) to Elizabeth Wagner at Table to Table via email: hr@table2table.org

Qualifications & Competencies:

• Enthusiastic advocate for food rescue, hunger relief, and food waste reduction.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, maintaining energy through often repetitive tasks. Ability to switch gears quickly and manage multiple tasks concurrently.
• Ability to work autonomously and perform well under pressure. Detail-oriented & resourceful.
• Functional knowledge and ability to use Microsoft Office and Google Suite
• Experience with WordPress and Canva preferred

Licenses & Qualifications:

• Preferred but not required: Over 21 with a valid driver’s license for a minimum of 4 years and good driving record (must be insurable under organization liability insurance); willing to drive large vehicles.
• Must be able to use technology including computers, printers, phones, vehicle and refrigeration units, and other equipment. Functional knowledge of computer systems.

Table to Table’s Mission Statement:

Table to Table bridges the gap between abundance and hunger. Our mission is to increase food equity and reduce environmental harm by collecting and redistributing surplus food through partners to people who can use it.

Table to Table welcomed Ngonyo Mungara to the team in January of 2023 in our final contingent of COVID-19 Recovery AmeriCorps service members. Ngonyo focused on supporting T2T’s daily operations, food rescue routes, free produce stands, and increasing food and vegetable starter plant donations during her half-year term serving in her role of food rescue specialist.

As a student at the University of Iowa majoring in Education Studies and Human Relations with a certificate in Public Health, Ngonyo was drawn to this role at T2T by an interest in learning how nonprofits operate on a day-to-day basis and practice sustainability. “I’ve always been interested in sustainability and reducing waste and I thought food rescue was a really interesting way to help others while also reducing waste,” she says. 

Once she completed her service term, she took some time to reflect on her experience in food rescue:

“Serving at T2T taught me so much more about the Iowa City and Johnson County community.  I never knew there were so many programs and people in our area dedicated to helping those in need.  It also made me happy to learn that many of the businesses I shop at are partnered with Table to Table and are doing their part to reduce food waste and support our community.  It has been a pleasure to work with the T2T staff.  Everyone here has been so helpful, friendly, and welcoming and it has made my time here so enjoyable.  The staff and volunteers here have such a positive and flexible attitude, and that is something that’s needed in this work where each day can be so different.

“My favorite thing about working here was working with different volunteers while filling in on routes.  Going on food rescue routes and helping to recover food for people in need while reducing food waste was such rewarding work.  While on routes, I had many encounters with our partners where they would tell us how much they love what we’re doing and how happy they are that Table to Table exists.  It amazes me that T2T has such a large and dedicated group of volunteers who devote their time to helping support our food rescue efforts.  It was a pleasure to get to know volunteers from so many different walks of life and learn why they like volunteering for T2T… You never get bored at Table to Table! 

“Towards the end of my service term I started to reach out to the cultural grocery stores in the Johnson County area in the hopes that they will consider donating to Table to Table.  Johnson County is becoming an increasingly diverse area and there is a need for more culturally relevant foods in pantries to support these communities.  T2T will continue reaching out to these businesses in the future and we hope that we can find ways to get a more diverse selection of food to our recipients.”

To conclude, we asked Ngonyo to tell us about one of her most interesting experiences on a food rescue route. She remembers: “On one food rescue route we accepted shoes from Natural Grocers. I wasn’t sure which partner would take them, but we ended up delivering them to the Salvation Army hot meal and social assistance site.” The situation turned out to be quite serendipitous: “The woman [greeting us to receive donations at the Salvation Army] was so excited that we had shoes and told us there was a man there who had been needing a new pair for a long time now and had been asking for them everyday.” 

The world of food rescue is truly unpredictable – We usually just collect food! – but thanks to our donor partners’ creativity in keeping resources from going to waste and our food access partners’ deep engagement with community members, we’re delighted to help match occasional donation surprises with community needs.

We were so grateful to have Ngonyo on the team and appreciate the thoughtfulness, dedication, and knowledge she brought to her role!