We’ve learned this week that SNAP benefits for November will not be paid out. In Johnson County, that represents approximately $1.7 million in grocery support for ~10,000 people.

Before this emergency, our pantry and meal-site partners were already serving ~11,000 individuals per month, most of whom were not receiving SNAP benefits. That means we expect to see a meaningful influx of new pantry visitors, people who’ve not relied on emergency food relief in the past.

• While the governor has announced $1 million in support for food banks across the state, that amount wouldn’t even meet the need in Johnson County alone. 
• We’re also awaiting federal rulings on the release of SNAP funds, which we hope will shorten the crisis. 
• Yet, before the government shutdown we were already bracing for an increase in need because the budget bill put additional limits on SNAP eligibility resulting in disenrollment for many SNAP participants starting November 1. No matter what happens, we will be responding to an increase in food needs for our neighbors.   

The burden remains on us, local partners, volunteers, and funders to respond.

How You Can Help Right Now: Four Ways to Make Impact

Donate funds: Donate to T2T to support our increased coordination and transportation efforts, or help with collective grocery purchasing for the Food Access Network by donating here. Cash gifts translate into immediate response and additional purchasing power for proteins and shelf-stable essentials. Every dollar helps stretch further when spent in bulk by the network.

Volunteer & logistics: We are mobilizing mass food drives and we’ve offered our van-fleet and drivers to help move food. If you have time this month, join us to help pick up or deliver food to pantries. Email volunteer@table2table.org to sign up.

Host or contribute to a food drive: Consider organizing a food drive. We’re working with the Food Access Network and United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties to coordinate food drives that will benefit 15+ pantries and meal sites across the county. Please email food@unitedwayjwc.org  if your business, faith group, or organization wants to host one, United Way will provide:

• A current list of most-needed items
• Drop-off locations or connections to transport help
• Guidance to make sure your drive meets real needs

Share on social media and in your sphere: Raise awareness that this isn’t a distant problem, it’s here in Johnson County now. Encourage your networks to donate, volunteer or simply refer someone in need to a local pantry. Refer people looking for food and looking to help provide food to https://www.unitedwayjwc.org/food-access. When we widen the circle of attention, we widen the circle of support.

More about what Table to Table Is Doing: Data-Driven, Rapid Response

At Table to Table we believe that in a crisis, the same guiding principles that keep us effective day-to-day still hold true: data-driven allocations, strong relationships, and nimble operations. That approach is powering our response now. We’re allocating as many food resources as possible to more than 18 pantries and meal sites across Johnson County.

• We’ll check in weekly with partner agencies to monitor the situation on the ground and adjust as needed.
• We participated in an emergency meeting of the local Food Access Network—a coalition of emergency hunger relief organizations—to coordinate strategy, messaging, and shared resourcing.
• We joined the local Johnson County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) led by United Way of Johnson County + county emergency management, to help coordinate public messaging and mobilize mass food-drives and transportation logistics.
• The Food Access Network was awarded $25,000 from the Community Foundation of Johnson County Impact Grant to go toward collective food purchasing. We received this just in time for the Network to make a large wholesale purchase, which maximizes the buying power of every dollar.

Looking Ahead, Stronger Together

In moments like this we are reminded that abundance and hunger coexist—not because of individual failings, but because of system gaps. At Table to Table we see this as an opportunity to reinforce our network, deepen partnerships, and be the backbone resource for the many organizations stepping up.

Thanks for being part of this community. Thank you for standing with your neighbors. We’ll keep reporting back with updates on the response and how you can plug in.

With gratitude and resolve,

The Team at Table to Table

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!

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!