Farewell and Thank You, Melanie!
This month we say a heartfelt thank‑you and farewell to Melanie Totten‑Fetter, who will have completed two years of AmeriCorps service with Nourish Iowa; most recently serving as the Local Food Recovery VISTA with Table to Table. Melanie has brought enthusiasm, organization, and a deep commitment to strengthening local food systems throughout her service term.
At Table to Table, Melanie jumped wholeheartedly into volunteer operations, completing nearly all of her 30–45 day goals with energy and curiosity. She participated in volunteer routes, assisted with program coverage shifts, gathered volunteer feedback, and visited partner and recipient sites to better understand the full scope of our food recovery network. She also created step‑by‑step volunteer manuals, role descriptions, and onboarding checklists that have helped streamline and strengthen volunteer experience.
Her orientation with the North Liberty Pantry was another highlight, where she completed food safety and civil rights training while learning firsthand how partner pantries operate. She continued volunteering there beyond her orientation—something that speaks to her passion for community impact.
In her final weeks, Melanie has been busy wrapping up shared‑drive improvements, finalizing volunteer handbook acknowledgment tools, and assisting staff wherever needed.
We are grateful for Melanie’s dedication, thoughtfulness, and the many behind‑the‑scenes systems she leaves stronger than she found them.
Thank you, Melanie, for your service and for all you’ve contributed to Table to Table and our community. We wish you the very best in your next chapter!
