“No Two Days Are the Same,” GIA Member Natalie Tapscott Reflects on Time at T2T
We bid farewell to GreenIowa AmeriCorps member Natalie Tapscott back in mid-August after an 11-month service term during which she focused on expanding our local foods and food transportation recovery initiatives, as well as contributing heavily to the Love Food Fight Waste campaign that aims to increase food waste education in the community. To increase exposure of our food transportation recovery program, Natalie met with key players across all levels of the system to gain perspective on the causes behind rejected truckloads and how to best streamline that process. During her term we rescued more than 90,000 lbs. of food through this initiative and formed several key connections to food transportation donor partners. In her work with our local foods recovery program, Natalie played a crucial role in connecting with new home gardens and farms throughout the community to add to our gleaning network. We harvested nearly 7,000 lbs. of fresh, hyper-local produce through this program during Natalie’s term.
In reflecting on her time at T2T, Natalie highlighted how no two days were quite the same, “It feels fitting that on my last day I showed up and immediately started sorting through a rejected truckload of leaking oat milk and jumped on a redistribution route. The most memorable days at Table to Table were always the ones that turned out differently than I expected when I walked in in the morning.” Always motivated and enthusiastic, Natalie became a go-to person in times like these where quick action and flexibility played a crucial role in successfully distributing large amounts of food at the last minute.
Another key takeaway of her time at T2T was a newfound appreciation and understanding for the Johnson County community, “Having moved to Iowa City to be a student, I feel like there were many aspects of the community I was disconnected from. But through serving Johnson County during my time at Table to Table, I can confidently say the connection I built to my community will forever be impactful to me.”
From the perspective of the T2T team, we could not have made it through this year without her. As Executive Director Nicki Ross explains, “From the start, Natalie jumped right into the heart of our food rescue efforts with enthusiasm. In her first month, she coordinated gleaning efforts, supporting food transport recovery, and hosted free produce stands. Her leadership in the Love Food, Fight Waste campaign and the gleaning program has been particularly impactful in a year where staffing and time were short, but opportunities were great. This year looked so much different than it could have without her exceptional support.”
Natalie came to us with a degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa, and is returning to the university upon completing her term to pursue a Master’s in Elementary Education. “From tabling at outreach events, to creating educational activities for students, to speaking on the KCJJ Noon show, to developing food waste education bus ads, the skills I developed at T2T will help me immensely in my future personal and professional goals,” Natalie said of her growth and education during her time at T2T, “I hope to continue to be an advocate for community engagement and environmental stewardship through sustainable food production and mindful consumption habits. The hands-on experience I got working on outreach initiatives in the community, building the Love Food Fight Waste campaign, and local food recovery initiatives this past Summer have prepared me to do just that.”
We’re lucky that Natalie plans to stay engaged with T2T while finishing her education at the university by volunteering on a few gleans this Fall and subbing in on a route every now and then! Her parting words to the T2T community when reflecting on her term were, “To everyone I met while serving at T2T, from staff, to volunteers, to partners, I will certainly miss the work you do and the people you are.” We’ll miss Natalie just as much, and could not be more thankful for her time with us!
Christina Sullivan Welcome Announcement
We are thrilled to welcome Christina Sullivan as our new Donor Relations Officer at Table to Table! With her strong background in community engagement, storytelling, and relationship-building, she brings both heart and skill to our small but mighty development team.
Born and raised right here in Iowa City, Christina earned her B.A. in Theatre Arts with a minor in Spanish from the University of Iowa. For the past four years, she managed the beloved downtown boutique Textiles, where she was known for her personalized customer service and compelling marketing emails. It’s
through her role there that she’s built meaningful connections across our community—including many familiar faces in the nonprofit and donor world. Her ability to connect, communicate, and cultivate relationships will be essential for her new role.
When asked why she was drawn to Table to Table, she shared a quote from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg “If you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself. Something to repair tears in your community. Something to make life a little better for people less fortunate than you. That’s what I think a meaningful life is- living not for oneself, but for one’s community.” A message that resonates with a lot of us contributing to the mission of Table to Table. As Christina says, “One thing we all have in common is that we all need to eat. I strongly believe we all deserve to eat well. Table to Table helps to repair very fundamental tears in not only our community, but our world- decreasing waste, rerouting resources to those that need it most, and treating everyone with dignity. No one should go hungry when there is abundance, and I’m proud to work for an organization that is such a cornerstone to our Iowa City support network.” A longtime fan of our work, she’s thrilled to now be part of it and is especially excited to meet volunteers and donors at upcoming events. Some of you have already met her when she shared a Friday food rescue route with her dad, Tim Sullivan— clearly, she’s eager to get involved hands-on.
A fun fact about Christina? She is a Shakespearean actor by night! She’s been part of many outdoor productions at Riverside Theatre and
is currently touring Romeo and Juliet to high schools as part of a program to make the arts more accessible. If you recognize her from the stage—say hi! Oh, and if you’re in need of a dance partner, she’s also certified in 13 ballroom styles (yes, really).
And we’re always interested in favorite food memories of staff and volunteers. For Christina, it’s homemade strawberry pie from her mom’s garden. When it comes time to eat the first strawberry pie of the season, Christina, her mom and her sister all share a first bite at the same time.
Please join us in giving her a heartfelt welcome as she begins this new chapter with Table to Table. We’re lucky to have her on the team!
T2T Receives Donation of 10,000 Cantaloupes!
A truckload of 10,000 cantaloupe made its way to T2T on the morning of July 18th through our food transportation industry rescue initiative!
This estimated 30,000 lbs. of melons is headed to T2T through a partnership with Farmlink, an organization that connects farm products to communities facing food insecurity and who was also responsible for last year’s epic 40,000 lb. potato recovery. The logistics of moving this quantity of food was be made possible through partnership Lineage Logistics, Farr Transport, and the tireless work of the T2T volunteer network and staff members.
Today, cantaloupes were distributed by the pallet to North Liberty Food Pantry, Coralville Community Food Pantry, CommUnity Food Bank in Iowa City, Open Heartland, and North Liberty Summer Lunch & Fun. On Monday, we’ll distribute to many more neighborhood pantries in our area and share several pallets with Riverbend Regional Food Bank to deliver to folks across Eastern Iowa.
Table to Table food recovery efforts provide the majority of fresh produce in the Johnson County food access network. We’ve worked for the last three years to grow food transportation recovery relationships. This food rescue opportunity comes at a time when food insecurity is on the rise and the recent federal budget reconciliation bill makes deep cuts to the food safety net. As we continue to respond to impacts of these cuts, donations like this will be more important than ever.
Stay tuned for details on a cantaloupe distribution pop-up stand early next week! Like our work? Make a donation or sign up to volunteer!
Statement In Response to Food Access Cuts in Budget Reconciliation
Five Johnson County food access organizations are issuing the following statement in response to the recent passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” budget reconciliation bill.
Gear Up for Gleaning Season!
What exactly does gleaning mean – no not cleaning…gleaning! If you’re unfamiliar with this weird word, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Gleaning is an age-old practice that helps provide fresh local foods to the community, so let’s dive in!
“The term gleaning is used in the agriculture industry to describe the collection of crops left in the field after all other available food has been harvested” (PostHarvest). The practice dates back centuries but is still largely relevant in modern day farming. At Table to Table, we implement gleaning into our food rescue system to provide fresh local foods for Johnson County’s food access network. Local farmers and individuals with large personal gardens reach out to us when they’ve reached their capacity for harvesting and still have good crops left in the fields. This can happen for many reasons – sometimes there is not enough people-power to harvest everything, farmers may have over-planted in case of blight, drought, or pest problems, or they may have planted cover crops to protect against erosion with no intention of harvesting them in the first place! Whatever the reason may be for excess crop, gleaning is a great way to ensure the resources used in producing the food are not wasted while getting fresh food on local tables at the same time (PostHarvest).
Want to get involved?
- Volunteer with Table to Table (T2T)!
- We’re gearing up for prime gleaning season and could use all the help we can get! Contact volunteer@table2table.org for more information on becoming a gleaning volunteer. Gleans usually take place in the morning and last around two hours. It’s a great way to get outdoors, learn more about local foods, and get your hands dirty!
- Grow a row!
- Are you an avid gardener? Got a green thumb? Just like to plant things? Plant an extra row of produce of your choosing in your personal garden or community plot to donate, and when it’s ready for harvest, bring your produce to T2T or other food access organizations in the community! For more information on this, contact gleaning@table2table.org.
- Donate produce to Table to Table!
- Are you a local grower with extra produce in your fields or garden? Connect with T2T to discuss potential gleaning opportunities! We’ll send a crew of volunteers to harvest your extra produce and deliver to food insecure neighbors. Contact gleaning@table2table.org for more information.
