Recently, we spent some time asking “Why do you volunteer?”
![Picture of Jon Feaver T2T volunteer for 7 years, quote: “I can’t save the world but rescuing food is something tangible I can do to help that makes a big impact across the community.” Picture of Jim and Laurie Cubit T2T volunteers for 3 years, quote: “With Table to Table you know the food you’re rescuing is going to make it into homes within a matter of hours. Being able to make a difference that quickly is a wonderful thing.” Picture of Dina Janzen T2T volunteer for 17 years, quote: “[As a big truck volunteer] I get to move 10,000 pounds of food at a time! I can’t believe how I’ve watched this organization grow. I have loved every volunteer I’ve ever come into contact with and the staff are amazing. It’s just a really good feeling.”](https://table2table.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FY25-Spring-Appeal-Menu-11-x-17-in-1-207x300.png)
Volunteer Spotlights
Remembering Our Friend and Fellow Food Rescuer Kenn Bowen
It is with heavy hearts that we honor the life and legacy of a remarkable individual, Kenn Bowen, who dedicated himself to serving his community as a Veteran for Peace, advocate for immigrant rights, and as a food rescue volunteer with Table to Table. Alongside his beloved wife, Pat, Kenn selflessly stepped forward during a time of great volunteer need, leaving an indelible mark on our organization and the lives of those he touched.
We’re thinking of Kenn and Pat this week as we get our produce stand schedule started for the summer. Kenn & Pat volunteered at our Free Produce stands during the summer months, building community and distributing fresh produce with a smile and a kind word. This was in addition to faithfully covering their weekly route. Together, Kenn and Pat were an unstoppable duo, always willing to lend a helping hand wherever it was needed.
At a gathering of T2T volunteers last summer at Big Grove, AmeriCorps member Alyssa remembers her first encounter with Kenn, who would become a regular volunteer in the program she led: “From the moment we struck up a conversation, it was clear that Kenn had a knack for storytelling and ‘dad’ jokes. He effortlessly embodied the welcoming and inclusive nature of Table to Table, making everyone around him feel at ease.”
Each time he saw Kenn, T2T Volunteer Coordinator Jared Long would share his own weekly joke, and it became a lighthearted goal to elicit an eye roll from Kenn — a small victory that Jared cherished. Kenn’s quick wit and dry humor reminded us not to take ourselves too seriously and added a touch of levity to our work. His clever quips, travel stories, and engaging discussions on current events made him an unforgettable presence.
Kenn never held back from sharing his thoughts and opinions, providing valuable insights and feedback. His honesty and engagement in our work were qualities that we greatly respected. We knew that when Kenn expressed his views, it came from a place of genuine care and a desire to make a difference. His candidness was appreciated in the environment of open dialogue and growth T2T works to cultivate.
We mourn the loss of a dear friend, a dedicated volunteer, and a man of integrity. But let us also celebrate the profound impact he had on our community. In honor of Kenn Bowen, let us carry his spirit forward. Let us continue the vital work he began, being a true friend, advocating and lifting the voices of our most vulnerable neighbors, and bringing comfort to those in need. May we approach our tasks with the same dedication, passion, and humor. His legacy of compassion and service lives on in our hearts and in the continued efforts of Table to Table.
Volunteer Spotlight: Dina Janzen’s essential role in a complex food recovery network
Dina Janzen’s interest in volunteering with Table to Table was piqued in January 2007 when she first noticed a volunteer picking up food at a donor partner. Now we’re celebrating Dina’s fifteenth year rescuing food with T2T!
Dina is currently one of three T2T volunteer drivers for what we refer to as our “Big Truck” route, picking up surplus warehouse food donations that account for 31% of the food T2T recovers. This food isn’t short-dated and adds variety to our deliveries, including gluten-free, vegetarian, and organic options. Driving our 22-ft straight truck, Dina stops at warehouse donors and loads literally tons of food on pallets directly into our truck quickly and efficiently.
What’s a key part of the volunteer role for Dina? “I absolutely love connecting with the people inside the backdoors of warehouses, stores and food pantries every week,” she says. “I find it fascinating to observe how the complex systems that exist to rescue all this food are constantly adapting. My part of this system is simple, but my role feels essential. A gratifying volunteer job indeed!”
Dina has collected food donations for T2T from warehouses since even before we procured our own big truck. Not too long ago, Dina loaded food donations off of pallets from warehouses by hand into a T2T van until no more would fit. She would then deliver the food to CommUnity Food Bank (then known as the Crisis Center), hand-unload it all, and stack it in their fridge or freezer space. Oh, if only we had the software then to track the amount of food that each of our volunteers rescues; Dina’s numbers would be off the charts!
Dina does what it takes, rain or shine, to make sure we connect great surplus food resources to folks who enjoy the food. We’re so grateful for her and her many years of dedication to our mission and community.
Get to know Dina:
What is one of your favorite food memories?
Baskin Robbins, 1972. Sugar cone with two scoops. Coffee ice cream on top of chocolate mint.
What are your hobbies?
Sewing, mah-jongg, bicycling around town, jigsaw puzzles, yoga, gardening, and searching for the most interesting AirBnbs.
What is your favorite dessert?
Homemade flan.
Meet one of the original volunteers: Lynette Richards
What drew Lynette Richards to Table to Table? “The fact that food can be on people’s plates that same day.” Lynette volunteered rescuing food in the late 1990s and served on T2T’s Board of Directors until she moved away from Iowa City in the early 2000s. “It was one of the hardest things to leave behind,” she says.
Lynette’s Honda Passport was her food rescue mobile: “I’d fill it up, I’d give away all the food, then I’d finish picking up more food. Sometimes I would come back with nearly a ton in total.”
“I would go to Eagles Grocery, Blooming Prairie, Bruegger’s Bagels, New Pioneer Food Co-op, sometimes Hy-Vee, and sometimes the University food service. We would drop food off at United Action for Youth, Domestic Violence Intervention Program, preschool programs, and homeless shelters,” she remembers. T2T didn’t have any refrigerated storage at the time, so, “We had to find a place to deliver what we collected that day. We couldn’t bring anything back.” To this day we only have the equivalent of six household refrigerators of cold storage because we aim to get the food out as quickly as possible.
“At T2T you get food from a variety of places, so when you put it together, you can make a healthy meal. It’s very usable,” Lynette continues. “You get excited when you get one food donation because it goes with something else you got, and it will make a nice meal for somebody.”
Rajni Vijh takes on an array of volunteer roles
“This has given me a look into how much food is being rescued and how much the need is,” says Rajni Vijh, a current T2T volunteer. Rajni began volunteering in September 2020 on a food rescue route. “We got 3,000 pounds of food,” she remembers about her very first day. “I remember telling everybody, ‘This is my first time and we have saved so much food from being wasted.’ We were just packed to the brim!”
When an injury kept Rajni from food rescue on routes, she wanted to know other ways she could help. She’s taken on an array of roles. She prepares the fleet for routes and keeps a food-safe environment in the warehouse. She takes on data entry and office tasks.
In addition, she joined the software committee to help advise on procuring new software to track volunteers, donations, and route schedules. She adds, “All my life I’ve been in IT, so that’s close to my heart.”
Next she wants to learn more about gleaning in farm fields. “I’m a ‘whole picture’ person,” she says of helping in so many areas. So, she also recently joined the Board of Directors.
“In general, my nature is to help. This fits right into my mission: help where the need is,” she continues. “I’m really passionate about what I do here. I think everybody believes in the cause.”
Photo (above): Rajni did get in on a few gleans before the harvest season was over! She poses here with Nora, T2T gleaning coordinator, and their freshly-harvested squash at Trowel & Error Farm in Iowa City.
Remembering Benny Hawkins, T2T food rescue route volunteer
Benny Hawkins, Sr., a former Table to Table food rescue route volunteer, passed away on August 31 at the age of 91.
Benny Hawkins, beloved T2T volunteer, rescued food on his weekly Wednesday route until the age of 89. Known for his warm conversations and genuine interest in the folks he met, we looked forward to seeing him every week and hearing stories from his decades of travel, sense of humor, and hugs.
Benny began volunteering on his weekly food rescue route in 2016. His longtime route partner, Bryan Clemons, remembers his friendship with Benny fondly:
“It was a pleasure to work with Benny when we were volunteers at T2T. Because we had known each other for years as dental colleagues, we had many things to talk about. We both had served as officers in the U.S. Air Force, and that gave us even more common ground.
I was usually the driver on our food rescue route, and it was easy to get so involved in our conversations that I could miss a turn. Fortunately, Benny was always gracious in redirecting me, and then we enjoyed a good chuckle.
Benny was a man who was kind to everyone he met. He had a great sense of humor and was quick to see the funny side of any situation and flash his wonderful smile. He had definite political opinions and was willing to discuss them if you asked, but he did not try to push his views on you.
Several years ago, Iowa Public Television asked for permission to do a short documentary about the mission of Table to Table. They interviewed Emily [Meister, T2T Program Manager at the time], and she requested that a videographer go on a route to show what happened when food was being rescued. Benny and I were chosen as the team to record. We became ‘immediate IPTV stars,’ and Benny reveled in that ‘honor’ with a twinkle in his eye.
We were both sad to leave T2T when Covid-19 became a problem. However, we continued to see each other and share stories during the Wednesday morning retired dentists’ coffee hour after we had received our vaccinations.
Everyone who knew Benny was fortunate to have Benny call them a friend.”
Executive Director, Nicki Ross, remembers his kindness and welcome when she began in 2017. Shortly after starting she and the program manager were asked to present at a regional food recovery conference, the first big audience for either of them. Benny offered to be an audience of one in run-throughs of the presentation, keeping it light and offering kind and helpful feedback. “When we faced our big audience, it was Benny’s face I pictured. His support made me a better public speaker and presenter of the T2T mission,” Nicki remembers. “He also joined us for every MidwestOne Bank Rock the Chalk – getting down on the pavement to color in the designs or holding and entertaining my 5 month old while we worked. Benny was a gem and we will miss him dearly.”
“Benny epitomized the best of everything as a T2T volunteer and as a human being,” T2T volunteer Steve Gallagher adds. “I’m so glad I became acquainted, however briefly. He had a kind, gentle, warm aura and people loved him. The world lost a beautiful human being in him.”
In the archives
We found Benny’s volunteer spotlight from a few years back:
What’s one of your favorite memories from your time volunteering with Table to Table? Interesting people I have worked with.
Do you volunteer at other area organizations? If so, where? Formerly, Meals on Wheels for four years.
What is/was your occupation? Dentist, Periodontist, Faculty Dental College.
What are your hobbies? I enjoy word puzzles.
What’s a fun fact you’d like to share about yourself? Lived in seven states, including England during my Air Force career.
Where are you from? Originally Chattanooga, Tennessee.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be? My oatmeal and fruit breakfast.
Remembering Al Stang, longtime T2T volunteer, supporter, and friend
This week, we are remembering longtime T2T route volunteer, former board member, and donor Al Stang. For years, Al did his Wednesday food rescue route in the 1998 Ford Econoline – our oldest van. You had to crawl into it to get the food all the way in the back. It was only about 6 months before he retired from T2T that he mentioned, “You know, maybe it’s time to retire this van – it’s hard on the knees (well, on my partner’s knees, I don’t get up in there anymore).”
Then, in the summer of 2020, we got a call from him asking how we were doing and how we were handling the loss of so many volunteers during the pandemic. He had heard that in the midst of it all that old van finally broke down. He and his wife Sharon supported the purchase of a new vehicle.
He supported T2T in so many ways: by spreading the word, as a board member, and as a route volunteer – he provided us with a whole collection of T2T rain jackets that still hang in our front hall and are worn by volunteers (and staff) regularly. He was thoughtful and full of ideas and someone you enjoyed spending time with and talking to.
A memorial service is planned for this Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 1:00 PM at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Iowa City.
Volunteer Spotlight: With humor and hard work, Marnie & Mike deliver good food
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!
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.
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.
Volunteer Spotlight: Bob Hoffman steps in during a time of great need
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
Volunteer Spotlight: Vicki Jaeger shares her advice for rescuing food
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.
