News

Volunteer Spotlight: With humor and hard work, Marnie & Mike deliver good food

Anne Langebartels/News, Volunteer Spotlight /Volunteer Spotlight /

March 4, 2022

While Mike Saeugling helped stock food donations as a volunteer at CommUnity Food Bank, he regularly interacted with T2T volunteers when they made deliveries of rescued food. So after his wife, Marnie, retired, they decided rescuing food on a route together would be another great way for them to get some quality time volunteering together. We are so glad they did; we can confirm they make a great team!

Mike stands next to an open Table to Table van, full of items to move. — Mike helps us pack up a van on our moving day in 2021.

Now, Mike and Marnie go on a weekly food rescue route together, but they don’t stop there. They pick up additional shifts when we need extra help, and if Marnie isn’t available, Mike will grab his friend Jim Humston to volunteer with him. They’ve helped in multiple ways with our move to Pepperwood Plaza, whether by packing up boxes or painting walls. And as you’ll read below, they really enjoy distributing veggies at produce pop-up stands during the summer and fall. It’s always fun when Mike and Marnie walk through the door to help out!

When asked about a favorite memory volunteering with T2T, Mike relayed the following story:

Late summer of 2021, my wife and I worked several produce distribution pop-up sites around the Iowa City area for T2T. On one occasion we helped to distribute produce that had been shipped from California. Along with California’s finest celery, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, and carrots, were eggplants. The plump purple ovoids, familiar to the corn-fed bosom of Iowa, were boxed with a strangely svelte cultivar of that fruit (that the skinny Californian was indeed an eggplant, I would come to learn later). These strangely shaped eggplants raised many an eyebrow and question from other curious Iowans.

One can imagine my repeated consternation and embarrassment, being the official fruit and vegetable purveyor at the pop-up, the assumed on-site expert as it were (my expertise based solely on my position on the opposite side of the table), as I responded lamely, “Uh, I don’t know, never seen one before.”

Now the favorite part of the memory.

Volunteers Karen, Marnie, and Mike stand behind a table full of fresh veggies at a produce pop-up — Marnie and Mike distribute veggies at a produce pop-up in Coralville with fellow T2T volunteer Karen Jackson.

For various reasons, it seemed we couldn’t give away an eggplant wrapped in a five-dollar bill. (I must admit, although an eclectic eater, I’d pass on that half-sawbuck too. Nobody likes everything.) But, thanks to our community’s cultural diversity, the question of the oddly lean eggplant was answered. Unfortunately, my idiocy was reconfirmed by the woman who answered my query: “It’s an EGGPLANT,” she said, with the same exasperated look often seen on my wife.

We also learned from an enthusiastic woman how to soak the snot out of okra. A valuable lesson I wish my mother had learned when I was a child. (But okra’s not really a German thing, so credit my mother with at least expanding my horizons.) This woman added that in the country in which she was born, the vegetable-decongesting liquid is then repurposed to treat arthritis. Very cool.

We also shared recipes and anecdotes with numerous other folks from cultures and countries different from our own. Even cooler.

Get to know Marnie and Mike

Marnie

What’s one of your favorite memories from your time volunteering with Table to Table?
I really enjoy working the pop-ups because it gives me an opportunity to meet the people in the community.

What is one thing you would tell new T2T volunteers when they’re first starting out?
Table to Table is a great group of people to work with, and you will be part of helping your community.

What do you wish other people knew about Table to Table, food insecurity, and food waste?
Table to Table is a great, well-run organization. They do an amazing job of rescuing the tons of edible food that would otherwise be thrown in the trash and distributing it to the many wonderful organizations around town that serve our community.

What are your hobbies?
I love to do a variety of crafts (quilting, watercolors, knitting). I also love to cook.

One thing that would surprise someone to learn about me is…
I was an Explorer Scout in High School and went to NOLS ( National Outdoor Leadership School) when I was 16. Just not as outdoorsy as I got older.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go?
There are so many places I would like to visit. I am looking forward to the end of the pandemic and being able to safely travel. My favorite trip so far was to Croatia; it is a beautiful country.

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream (or favorite dessert)?
Anything chocolate is great, and cinnamon is a close second.

Mike

What are your hobbies?
Writing a novel. Reading. Our two dogs.

What is one of your favorite food memories?
Roasting whole hogs in the backyard. All-day fun.

One thing that would surprise someone to learn about me is…
I’ve been to El Salvador 15 times volunteering with Engineers Without Borders

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go?
Ireland

What do you wish other people knew about Table to Table, food insecurity, and food waste?
Fight climate change however you can. Compost everything compostable. The City of Iowa City makes it easy.

Celebrating 25 years and a new space with Open House

Anne Langebartels/News /

February 23, 2022

Table to Table is kicking off a celebration of 25 years and fundraising for construction expenses with a free to the public Open House on Thursday, February 24, from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at 1049 US-6 E, Iowa City in Pepperwood Plaza. Our celebration of 25 years is presented by MidWestOne Bank.

Take a walk through time as you tour our new space, learning our history through engaging displays and talking with those involved along the way. Tours will be in small groups and masks are required.

Frank Lalor receives baked goods from employee at Barbara's Bakery — Frank Lalor picks up a donation at Barbara’s Bakery, September 1996. Photo by Linda Schreiber

Founded in 1996 by a group of food providers, activists, and community members with an idea to redistribute an abundance of food, we had our beginnings operating from 700 square feet of space in downtown Iowa City, from which 12 volunteers rescued an astounding 50,000 pounds of food in the first year.

Now, T2T has transformed into a distribution network of more than 100 volunteers rescuing 50,000 pounds of food each week and delivering it to recipient agencies that feed more than 20,000 Johnson County neighbors.

Our new location in Iowa City’s South District neighborhood is closer to partner agencies that receive more than half the rescued food. A larger space also accommodates resource-sharing partnership with nonprofit Field to Family allowing our two organizations to share the space, basic operational expenses, and food refrigeration.

Necessary renovations to the space include installing an overhead door and upgrading the plumbing and electrical lines to meet food warehousing standards, for which we need to raise $75,000. We are 32% of the way to our goal.

Checks made out to Table to Table can be mailed to PO Box 2596, Iowa City, IA 52244, or make a donation online.

Volunteer Spotlight: Bob Hoffman steps in during a time of great need

Anne Langebartels/News, Volunteer Spotlight /Volunteer Spotlight /

December 23, 2021

Bob Hoffman hands fresh produce out at a Neighborhood Center's Back to School Bash — Bob hands fresh produce out at a Neighborhood Center’s Back to School Bash.

Bob Hoffman signed up to volunteer with us during a great time of need – March 2020, just as the pandemic began impacting our daily routine. Actually, it’s because of the fact that Bob’s part-time jobs were furloughed and other volunteer activities were suspended that he had the opportunity to volunteer with T2T.

Bob jumped right in and started volunteering on a regular basis, often volunteering twice a week. He did need to take a step back while he was teaching, but as soon as school was out he was back volunteering again and continues to volunteer one or two times each week, often filling in on volunteer shifts as the need arises.

Bob has been up for anything we’ve thrown his way, and we sure do appreciate all of Bob’s help and his positive attitude.

Bob’s advice to new volunteers

How did you first get involved with Table to Table?
I heard through Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) that Table to Table was needing volunteers due to the pandemic, so I contacted T2T and started right away.

What’s one of your favorite memories from your time volunteering with Table to Table?
After the Fourth of July last year I was subbing on a food rescue route during which we picked up over 2,000 pounds of donations, including thousands of sets of plastic utensils. My route partner for the day and I were wondering what we would do with so many utensils, but our first stop was a HACAP Head Start preschool program. We told them what we had, and the HACAP staff said, “We’ll take them all. We got told yesterday that we could no longer use utensils run through our dishwasher.” It all made me think that the stars were aligned for our work at T2T.

What is one thing you would tell new T2T volunteers when they’re first starting out?
Be prepared for anything. You may pick up 180 pounds of food one day and feel as if you didn’t accomplish much, but the next trip may be 1,600 pounds of food that the food pantries are thrilled to get that day to fill their empty shelves and fridges.

What do you wish other people knew about Table to Table and food insecurity?
Both the food donors and those who work at the recipient organizations are welcoming and friendly. The donors seem genuinely happy to have the food they won’t be selling going to those in need, and the people at recipient partners want the best for their clients. It’s rewarding to be the “middle man” for those groups.

Get to know Bob

What is one of your favorite food memories?
Eating fish soup in Newfoundland- fish fresh caught is nothing like we get here.

What are your hobbies?
Playing tuba and going to the theater

One thing that would surprise someone to learn about me is…
I played the Tinman in the Wizard of Oz… but not in the movie with Judy Garland

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go?
Malta

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream (or favorite dessert)?
A Banana Split Polar Bear at Main Street Sweets in West Branch

A season in the life of a gleaner: Nora reflects on her time at T2T

Anne Langebartels/News /

December 10, 2021

By Nora Garda, T2T Gleaning Coordinator through AmeriCorps 4H Environmental Education

As the Gleaning Coordinator at Table to Table, I facilitated efforts to address the problems of food insecurity and food waste by working with local farmers who have excess produce, volunteers willing to harvest it, and recipient organizations serving our neighbors. Being able to rescue fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste and donate this produce to those in need has been extremely rewarding. I had multiple opportunities to chat with farmers and the recipients; farmers were very grateful for the service we provided while recipients were genuinely thankful to be getting locally-grown, fresh produce.

I must say that beyond the incredible volume of fresh, delicious and healthy food we collected and distributed, what really gave sense to my experience was this community I felt a part of; it made the entire process heartwarming.

I love to garden, I love vegetables and I love being outdoors. I also have a passion for people. These have been nine amazing months! What else can I ask for?

Things I learned:

It is wonderful to get the morning sunshine while working in the fields.
It is good to be plugged into the local food system.
It is valuable and exciting to learn how food is grown; the growers we worked with were so knowledgeable and passionate about growing the best quality food. I loved learning from them! It was so nice to develop a personal connection with so many of them.
I didn’t know that urban agriculture was a “thing” in Johnson County. I had no idea there were so many farms in the city. So, learning about this small -but growing- movement of young people seeking out a more agricultural life was surprising and exciting. These hardworking, idealistic young farmers live around us. They invest hours and hours of their lives researching, connecting to the soil, experimenting with new crops, and growing quality produce. And what is even better, they don’t hesitate to donate the excess to those less fortunate. It gives me hope in humanity.
The gleaning volunteers were awesome!!! Service-oriented, community-involved and outdoor lovers! It was great to get to know new people from all age groups! I got to work with teenagers, families, college students, and retirees. We shared many big laughs and friendly conversations; the camaraderie was touching. There was always a real sense of teamwork. I feel lucky to have met so many great people!
It was a time to practice flexibility and adaptability. Every glean was an adventure. We gleaned when it was 90+ degrees and sunny. We gleaned in the rain. We gleaned in bitter cold days. We gleaned when we couldn’t find the field, when we didn’t bring enough boxes. We couldn’t lift the boxes containing hundreds of pounds of watermelons! We found ourselves in wet fields and with every step we would sink into mud. And we could be called upon to glean at any time on any farm; we never knew exactly when we were going to be out there. But in the end, none of these situations stopped us or slowed us down. We had a can-do attitude and we made it happen every single time, through teamwork.
Our new partnership with Twin County Produce Auction (TCPA) added a new level of adventure. The huge success of collecting excess produce donated from farmers at the auction was a surprise for us at T2T and for those at TCPA! I greatly enjoyed getting to know their community in the process, ending with hugs at the end of the season.
And finally, T2T staff is the best!!!! Friendly, helpful, committed, thoughtful, knowledgeable and, above all, nice, nice people. After 30 years in the corporate/scientific world, my time as Gleaning Coordinator at T2T has been a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed every single minute here.

Working for a good cause always makes me feel good, and the shared sense of fellowship with volunteers, farmers and the T2T team made this an enlightening experience.

Reflections on Two Summers of Gleaning Across Iowa

Table to Table/News /

November 16, 2021

by Jayne Meacham, Iowa Gleaning Network Program Development Coordinator

When I came to Iowa Gleaning Network as the Program Development Coordinator there was pretty much nothing there but opportunity, pulled from the founder’s brains into reality through their knowledge of the food system landscape and hunger in Iowa. By talking to the right people at the right time, and sheer determination and perseverance, IGN was formed to push forward food justice and increase access to healthy food during the economic crisis brought on by the Covid19 pandemic.

I was brought on by Table to Table to organize the Network and lead the three gleaning coordinators, who had already been hired ahead of me, meaning I had to hit the ground running. On top of that, my first week was only a few days after eastern Iowa had been hit by a derecho, a freak storm of direct, high-speed winds that devastated much of the area, and left thousands, including myself and my family, without power for many days. Being thrown into this new position at this extra-tumultuous time gave me a glimpse of what food rescues, and community-minded people in general, can do in a time of acute crisis. In my neighborhood I saw folks helping each other to clear large branches, directing traffic around obstacles and down cleared streets, and extension cords and power strips extending from generators to share limited power so neighbors could at least reach their loved ones.

When I got to Table to Table, it was all hands on deck, a kind of organized chaos. It was my first week, but I was tasked with helping clean, organize, and, of course, to distribute food – I got behind the wheel of a big transit van for the first time and delivered 1000 lbs of onions around Johnson County that had come from the first joint IGN gleaning event at a farm near Waterloo. It was a stinky but satisfying first mission.

My second week, I visited gleaning coordinator, Jessie, at Feed Iowa First in Cedar Rapids. The destruction in Cedar Rapids was like nothing I had ever personally experienced before – whole trees ripped from the ground, detours and caution tape everywhere, roofs and walls knocked down or just missing all together. A lot of people were outdoors cleaning, chatting, helping each other out, or just walking, as it was easier to get around on foot. I went back to Cedar Rapids the next day to join Feed Iowa First on one of their produce distributions at an apartment complex that had been hit hard by the storm. What I kept seeing– despite the destruction, the lack of power, the heat and humidity, and having to wear masks because we’re also in the middle of a pandemic– were people smiling and laughing, kids playing, people lending a hand to their neighbors; folks making the best out of an extreme situation and taking action to help each other out.

As my year with VISTA went on, I kept these observations present in my mind – that people want to help and laugh and be together. Through autumn and winter I researched gleaning, reached out to other gleaning organizations across the country, and designed and wrote a 20+ page manual on gleaning, spreadsheets to store gleaning data, and slideshows with instructions and information on gleaning, safety, and our mission. In all these resources I tried to instill a sense of what I had felt in my first weeks on the job – that gleaning could provide more than just food in bellies. Gleaning is community. Gleaning is helpful to so many:

farmers who didn’t want to see their hard work just get plowed under
folks who are going stir-crazy in their homes during the pandemic and want to get outside and have a nice activity
people on a fixed income or whose budget is already stretched thin and want to make something healthy for dinner
gardeners whose garden beds are more productive than they expected and need somewhere to take their extra produce
kids who have come along to a gleaning event and get their hands dirty learning how to harvest the food they eat

Gleaning excess fruits and vegetables to give away to those who want them should be the standard, not the exception. I did my best to take care of the Network and help it grow to its full potential. At the end of the first season, 2020, we had gathered just under 25,000 pounds of produce with 3 IGN Gleaning Coordinators who were hired halfway through the growing season. After their service was over we came to the conclusion that the gleaning programs needed resources, not only the resource and instruction material I was writing, but also physical equipment to get their jobs done more effectively. I wrote a list of supplies each program would need for the upcoming season, priced everything out, and applied for and received a grant to purchase everything our programs needed for success. A highlight of my VISTA service was when I assembled all the gleaning kits and personally drove them to each of the 7 gleaning program host sites across Iowa. I happily drove my thousand mile cross-Iowa road trip and got to meet each coordinator.

I was especially pleased to meet Corinne Sills, the coordinator in Mason City, who is the only coordinator to return for a second year with IGN. Our discussions focused on the idea that gleaning is a community taking care of itself, sharing the abundance that springs forth from labor, and of people giving what they can and taking what they need –mutual aid, not charity. It’s clear that this message is shared by many in our state. In only our second year the network collected more than 70,000 pounds of fresh produce. Seventy thousand pounds of nutritious food that might have been left in the field and has now made its way to Iowan tables.

I hope that through my work as the Program Development Coordinator I have set the Iowa Gleaning Network on a good path toward long-term sustainability and many years of service to come. Gleaning may not be common in our culture, but it is simple. Gleaning is people coming together from various walks of life to gather what they can, save what’s worth saving, and to help each other out. It is mutually beneficial to all involved, and it is a sign of a healthy and vibrant community that can take care of itself and grow stronger in doing so. Gleaning is giving. I know no gleaner who doesn’t want to share.

Farewell and Happy Trails, Emily!

Table to Table/News, Staff /

October 30, 2021

After 5 years with Table to Table, Food Rescue Program Manager Emily Meister has accepted an exciting new opportunity as Eastern Iowa Regional Director of the National Farm Worker Program with Proteus. Proteus provides support services and medical care to migrant farm workers.

Emily originally joined the T2T team as a food rescue route volunteer in 2015 and transitioned from part-time staff to Food Rescue Program Manager in 2017. She’s brought her compassionate manner and dedication to eliminating food waste to each of her roles at T2T.

With Emily at the helm of route logistics and donor/client relations, we’ve increased food distribution from 1.8 million pounds of food to 2.4 million pounds each year. She has increased our number of regular food rescue routes by 25% and led several new initiatives that contribute to this incredible growth. These initiatives include expanding food sourcing opportunities to include the entire life cycle of food, from harvesting directly from farms and gardens to building relationships with food transport drivers who pass by Iowa City regularly and recovering food directly from food processors.

In her time at T2T, Emily has seized every opportunity to improve services and expand access to food throughout Johnson County. With these experiences under her belt, she’s going to be a great asset to Proteus and we wish her the best!

Join us for a farewell gathering at Big Grove on Wednesday, November 10th from 4pm to 6pm.

We are now accepting applications for the Program Manager role. Read more about the role and the qualities of the candidate we’re looking for here.

2021 Letter from the Director: Challenges met with collaboration and creativity

Anne Langebartels/Annual Report, News /

October 29, 2021

This letter from Executive Director Nicki Ross appeared in Table to Table’s Impact Report for fiscal year 2021.

When I think of this past year and the challenges it presented, I keep coming back to an overwhelming sense of gratitude; gratitude to you, the staff, volunteers, and each of our partners. It’s also difficult to summarize a year that feels like a decade, but I’m going to try.

We have learned a lot in our 25 years of operation, yet this year highlighted the challenges we face in fighting food insecurity. Most notably, how the inequalities in our food system are underpinned by structural racism and social inequality. It is a stark reminder that this crisis existed long before the pandemic and that food waste is inextricably linked to equity. As you’ll read in this report, in partnership with the incredible hunger relief network, we found even more ways to reclaim resources and increase food access.

Partnerships are the foundation that enable us to act quickly, expand, and diversify the ways we meet the changing needs of our community. We found new sources for our most requested foods and delivered more of these resources to the agencies that are on the front lines of a once-in-a-generation national hunger crisis. In a year when food was scarce and the need was greater than ever, Johnson County food pantries distributed more pounds of food per person than in the previous two years.

Our community understood that the first priority during a crisis is to make sure people are fed. Our daily work was made to do exactly this, feed our neighbors. To do this, we lean heavily on the collective power of people. You fueled our response – you are why, despite continued uncertainty, we’re in a position to serve our community for the months and years ahead.

Let me express one more time gratefulness for our T2T team and the staff and volunteers of all our partners who work tirelessly. Their commitment was unbowed by the sustained adversity of this year. Their work, guided by their hearts, their creativity, and courage allowed us to innovate and lead. I am incredibly proud to see them do what sometimes seems impossible.

Nicki Ross
Executive Director

Read our full Impact Report for fiscal year 2021

Volunteer Spotlight: Vicki Jaeger shares her advice for rescuing food

Anne Langebartels/News, Volunteer Spotlight /Volunteer Spotlight /

October 29, 2021

If you’re having a conversation with Vicki Jaeger, you never know what you may end up talking about. We count on her to share intriguing facts, TV shows to watch, and fun stories when she comes in to volunteer. We also know we can count on her to carry out her regular Saturday morning food rescue route with mastery and dedication. (She shares a little bit of her advice for rescuing food below!)

Vicki is in her sixth year volunteering at Table to Table; she started volunteering with us when she was looking for a way to get involved in our community and her Google search results suggested T2T. She’s been here week after week rescuing thousands of pounds of food ever since.

During the first year of the pandemic, we asked Saturday morning volunteers to take on each of their food rescue routes solo and without T2T staff onsite in order to accommodate resource demands due to the virus. Vicki, along with other regular Saturday morning volunteers, wasn’t deterred. The mighty band of Saturday volunteers carried on with their routes solo and took care of prepping their vans for Monday’s routes, too.

In addition to her food rescue route, Vicki serves on our Resource Development Committee and has a real knack for organizing and analyzing data – she’s an Excel wizard! We are very thankful for Vicki’s continued commitment to our mission and her excitement in engaging with our community.

Are you a new T2T volunteer? Vicki’s got some advice!

What is one thing you would tell new T2T volunteers when they’re first starting out?
Packing a box [of food] is like playing Tetris. Also, try to put “like” items with “like.”

What do you wish other people knew about Table to Table, food insecurity, and/or food waste?

“Best by” dates are not expiration dates. Food doesn’t magically go bad as of that date. [Read more about “best by” dates here.]
Just because food isn’t pretty (bruised produce), doesn’t mean it’s not good. [Read about food waste 101 here.]
Food insecurity, especially for children, is a lot more prevalent than we like to think. [In Johnson County, childhood food insecurity affects 1 in 5 kids.]

Fun Facts about Vicki

What are your hobbies?
Reading, movies and TV, and traveling to the 50 states with my sister

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go?
Ireland and the United Kingdom

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Can’t go wrong with chocolate ice cream.

Meet Mary Palmberg, the ultimate food rescue ambassador

Anne Langebartels/News, Volunteer Spotlight /Volunteer Spotlight /

October 8, 2021

Mary Palmberg is someone you might call a “local legend.” Many people in our community have the privilege of knowing Mary, with her energy and enthusiasm to tackle any goal and to, as she puts it, “make the most of her days.” She has worked in the University of Iowa’s Provost Office, has hosted the Helpers Email list connecting 250 volunteers with community needs, and was the Director and Volunteer Coordinator for the Free Lunch Program until 2014, helping secure its current space in the 1105 Project. She’s also been a volunteer at Table to Table since 1998, making her one of our longest-serving volunteers.

Mary’s service with T2T is remarkable for many reasons. Here are a few:

She can rescue any amount of food: a few weeks ago she and her volunteer partner rescued 1900 lbs. of food on one route alone!
We have yet to discover her limit on how many volunteer shifts she can fill in a week: so far this year, she’s clocked more than 100 shifts on food rescue routes, prepping vehicles in the shop, picking up food at the Iowa City Farmers’ Market, and distributing veggies at produce pop-ups.
She is the ultimate food rescue ambassador. She builds great relationships with food donors, increasing their donations and commitment to the mission. She makes T2T deliveries memorable for recipient agencies and their volunteers by delivering food with the best attitude and expressing sincere and heartfelt gratitude for their partnership and work. And she not only volunteers herself, but she brings along countless new volunteers. She uses every opportunity to promote and garner support for the mission. She truly couldn’t do more to be a better ambassador.

Mary has kept Table to Table moving forward all these 23 years she’s been involved, certainly not least of all this last year with all of its changes and unpredictability. Her knowledge and experience in hunger relief efforts combined with her passion for serving our neighbors makes her irreplaceable at Table to Table. Mary is a true example of the impact one person can have on changing a community for the better.

Get to know Mary

How long have you been volunteering with Table to Table? “Since the day I retired from the University of Iowa: February 13, 1998 (and maybe even before that).”

Mary Palmberg with group in front of Oscar Mayer Weinermobile — Mary (right) poses with the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile during a special food rescue route in 2015.

What’s one of your favorite memories from your time volunteering with Table to Table? “I have SO MANY favorite memories … but a unique one was doing a route in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.”

What is one thing you would tell new T2T volunteers when they’re first starting out? “To be very friendly, appreciative, and helpful to the people at [food] donor sites.”

What do you wish other people knew about Table to Table, food insecurity, and food waste? “Table to Table makes staff at [food] donor sites feel very good about their products not going to waste. T2T makes a huge difference in the budgets and food offerings of its recipient partners.” [She’s right! The food T2T delivers would cost partners hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase. And T2T-rescued food accounts for 60% of the food most pantries in Johnson County distribute.]

Nancy and Mary enjoy their post-route DQ Blizzards — Mary (right) and route partner Nancy Weber enjoy their well-deserved DQ Blizzards post-route.

What is one of your favorite food memories? “Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzards made with chocolate DQ—shared with my T2T partner Nancy Weber after most of our Tuesday morning T2T routes during the Riverside Drive Dairy Queen’s season.”

One thing that would surprise someone to learn about me is… “I biked from ocean-to-ocean across the U.S. twice (in 2000, Virginia to Oregon; and in 2003, California to Florida), and the length of the Mississippi River twice (in 1999 south from St. Paul to New Orleans; and in 2007 from New Orleans to Lake Itasca) on trips with small groups of cyclists.”

Volunteer Spotlight: Jim and Jeff are keeping food rescue fun and fresh

Anne Langebartels/News, Volunteer Spotlight /Volunteer Spotlight /

August 27, 2021

Jim Bradbury and Jeff Knox are the perfect “pear!” (Literally, they were the original recipients of Table to Table’s “Quite the ‘Pear'” award, bestowed upon route volunteer duos that make an incredible team.) These two have been volunteering together at Table to Table for five years. As the story goes, back in 2016 a friend told Jeff that volunteering at T2T is a lot of fun. Jeff talked his friend Jim into volunteering with him, and the two have been volunteering together ever since.

If we ever wanted to convince people that rescuing food is not only important but also can be a whole lot of fun, these are two of the people we’d choose to do the convincing. T2T staff look forward to Fridays when these two come in for their route because they will undoubtedly bring lots of laughs and smiles to our faces. We are so thankful for their service and look forward to many more opportunities to smile!

A little about Jeff

What is/was your occupation?
Speech pathologist, Grant Wood AEA, Iowa City Schools, Adjunct Professor at St. Ambrose University

What’s one of your favorite memories from your time volunteering with T2T?
It’s just fun.

What do you wish other people know about T2T, food insecurity, and food waste?
It’s amazing how much food we collect, and how much food is used each week.

What are your hobbies?
Filling out surveys. (I think he’s pulling our leg here.)

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Any flavor of ice cream

A little about Jim

What is/was your occupation?
Mechanical engineer

What’s one of your favorite memories from your time volunteering with T2T?
One time we had a full pallet of frozen chicken and were thankful that they were already boxed. That was a 2,000 lbs. day for us!

What is one thing you would tell new T2T volunteers when they’re first starting out?
Get to know the people that you pick up food from and those you drop off to. These are really great people that want to help those that are food insecure.

What do you wish other people knew about Table to Table, food insecurity, and food waste?
The problem of food insecurity and food waste is a big deal, and what we do is important.

What are your hobbies?
Golf

What is your favorite dessert?
It always has to include chocolate cake and ice cream.