Now Hiring: Development & Communications Coordinator
Position & Ideal Candidate Overview: Are you looking for a role in Communications, Marketing, or Fundraising where you’ll utilize your varied skill set to make a huge community impact? You could be the next Communications and Development Coordinator for Table to Table. We are looking for an outstanding communicator and a community-minded individual who is passionate and enthusiastic about conveying our mission to inspire and encourage engagement from volunteers, organizations, and the general public. The ideal candidate is organized, self-motivated, and has a great attitude to contribute to the positive strengths-based culture at T2T. The right candidate is patient and persistent in a dynamic work environment where there are tight deadlines and multiple requests or projects at any given moment. As this is a public-facing role, we’re looking for a “people person” who is tactful and enjoys interacting with those of diverse ages, abilities, and backgrounds. If you have these qualifications and want to put your time and energy toward feeding thousands of people in our community, this is the job for you!
Employment Status and Work Hours: (Full-time position)
Monday through Friday 8-4 with flexibility, some weekends and evenings required
40 hours per week, some overtime required
Pay & Benefits: $40,000 to $46,000 annually, depending on experience.
Benefit package includes paid vacation and sick leave, employer retirement contribution, along with 80% employer covered premium for employee health and dental coverage.
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Create and implement fundraising campaigns, including appeal letters and online giving campaigns
- Implement community outreach and media relationships and strategies, including regular public speaking engagements and presentations.
- Lead the planning and coordination of the annual dinner fundraiser including event committee leadership, promotion, logistics, food, and fundraising.
- Organize promotional events like Love Food Fight Waste, UI Homecoming Parade, and other outreach events.
- Write and create graphics for key organization publications including: newsletters, the annual report, brochures, fact sheets, etc.
- Design ads, flyers, banners, brochures, fact sheets, event signage, invitations, etc. as needed.
- Execute social media strategy.
Desired Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, marketing, or a related field, or a combination of relevant education and professional experience in marketing, event planning, communications, fundraising, and/or community relations.
Necessary Skills and Requirements
- Valid driver’s license and good driving record.
- Excellent public speaking, presentation, and writing skills for the purpose of recruiting volunteers, fundraising, and promoting Table to Table’s mission. Ability to connect with others and forge strong relationships.
Review the complete Communications and Development Coordinator Job Description 2024.
To apply, email a resume and cover letter to hr@table2table.org
We Bid Farewell and Good Luck to Communications & Development Coordinator Anne Hlavacek
It’s with mixed emotions that we announce that Anne Hlavacek (née Langebartels) is leaving T2T to return to university to further her education.
In 2019, Anne joined us as our first development and communications staff. Before T2T, Anne served as an AmeriCorps Vista at Feed Iowa First, where she built their new development and outreach role. This made her uniquely qualified to do something similar at Table to Table. After only a few months on the team, we were particularly fortunate to have her support during the challenging pandemic years when nothing was normal and our template for communications and engagement went out the window.
Anne has been incredibly adept at communicating challenging concepts about food access & equity, food recovery, and the value of nonprofit work in both writing and design. Some of her favorite projects and most meaningful projects include
- 25 Years of Impact Report – Anne’s huge investment of effort into interviews, archive review, writing, and design is evident in this representation of the T2T legacy.
- “Greatest Table” card – packed full of great information in an easy to read design that makes you want to know more.
- The Power of Partnerships – in our most recent report to the community, Anne highlighted work that represents our values of collaboration, equity, appreciation, and love.
Through this incredible work and so much more not listed here, she has helped raise the profile and recognition of Table to Tables critical contributions to the community. Anne’s efforts have also helped T2T significantly build our program capacity. High fundraising performance of appeals and fundraising initiatives funded additional operational capacity that increased our food collection by 750,000 pounds.
When Anne joined the team, the road ahead was filled with opportunity and challenge which she approached with diligence and creativity. She has helped us build a strong, sustainable foundation for our relationships with funders, volunteers, and our community as a whole. We wish Anne well as she embarks upon her MFA journey at Iowa State University where we know she’ll build new skills and relationships that will continue to have a lasting impact on her community.
Know someone who might be interested in joining the team as our new Communications Coordinator – read more about the position here.
Now Enrolling: Green Iowa AmeriCorps positions
Join our team! Green Iowa AmeriCorps Positions at Table to Table
Position Summary:
Green Iowa AmeriCorps Members contribute to the hunger relief efforts in Johnson County by supporting the daily function of our food rescue program and expanding those efforts. The Food Rescue Specialist is part of the team welcoming & directing volunteers, actualizing smooth pick-up and delivery of food donations, preparing T2T’s fleet of vehicles for food rescue routes, coordinating volunteers & leading them to glean (harvest) excess produce from local farms and gardens, as well as getting the food to food-insecure individuals via Free Produce Stands.
T2T serves as the hub for 60% of the food distributed by Johnson County’s hunger relief network. The best candidate is an energetic team player with strong communication skills who enjoys interacting with people of diverse ages and backgrounds.
AmeriCorps Service Term Options:
Summer “Minimum-time” Position: June 3rd – August 16th, 2024
11-month Service Position: September 16th, 2024 – August 15th, 2025
Work Hours:
At least two days Monday-Friday from 8am until noon or 3:30pm with some flexibility.
Up to two evenings a week 3-7:30pm for Free Produce Stands. Other days and times as needed and agreed upon. May include weekend Free Produce Stands, gleaning & volunteer events, farmer’s markets, or outreach events with partner organizations.
About AmeriCorps:
AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism in the United States. It’s an opportunity for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and their country through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups. AmeriCorps members address critical needs such as literacy, health, housing, technology, the environment, economic development, and many other fields. It is a chance to apply your skills and energy toward helping others and strengthening the organizations that make a positive difference in Americans’ lives. Learn more here >
Financial Information, Benefits, & Additional Information: Available through Green Iowa >
Supervision Given By: The Food Rescue Programs & Services Manager
Qualifications & Competencies:
- Enthusiastic advocate for food rescue, hunger relief, and food waste reduction.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, maintaining energy through often repetitive tasks. Ability to switch gears quickly and manage multiple tasks concurrently.
- Ability to work autonomously and perform well under pressure. Detail-oriented & resourceful.
- Functional knowledge and ability to use Microsoft Office and Google Suite.
Licenses & Qualifications:
- Required: Must be able to regularly and repeatedly lift and move 20-40 lbs.
- Preferred but not required: Over 21 with a valid driver’s license for a minimum of 4 years and good driving record (must be insurable under organization liability insurance); willing to drive large vehicles.
- Must be able to use technology including computers, printers, phones, vehicle and refrigeration units, and other equipment. Functional knowledge of computer systems.
Essential Functions:
Lead Gleaning and Farm Produce Collection Efforts
- Harvest excess produce from farms and gardens
- Collect excess produce from markets and produce auctions
- Recruit and communicate with farmer- and gardener-donors to increase local food donations
- Recruit and schedule volunteers, including communication of location and time for activities
- Lead volunteers in gleaning activities
- Demonstrate best practices for food handling safety
- Motivate and build up the local farmer- and gardener-donor network through recognition events and outreach
- Connect with other gleaners in Iowa and build or rebuild gleaning communications and networks
- Track data and evaluate trends around gleaning efforts
Food Distribution through Free Produce Stands
- Deliver harvested and prepared produce to local partners in the Johnson County hunger relief network including food pantries & overnight shelters
- Facilitate produce pop-up stands (Free Produce Stands) in neighborhoods & community locations to deliver free produce to food insecure individuals
- Lead volunteers in setup and tear down of produce stands
Volunteer & Program Operations Duties
- Recruit and schedule volunteers as needed for gleaning, Free Produce Stands, and food rescue operations
- Utilize communications tools and create materials to increase public awareness of programs, services & opportunities
- Participate in food rescue program by picking up donations from local partners and delivering/unloading donations at distribution sites
- Record volunteer feedback and pass on pertinent information that impacts planning and management of food rescue program
- Answer phone calls, greet volunteers & visitors, and accept walk-in donations
- Unload and organize food received and work with staff to determine the appropriate distribution of food donations
- Organize and maintain food inventory: freezer, cold, and dry food storage spaces
- Complete Fleet & Facility Prep duties as needed when volunteer positions are unfilled
- Track data and evaluate trends: Perform food rescue program data entry & assist with volunteer record keeping through Salesforce
Typical challenges this position will face:
- Frequent interruptions, especially during hours with heaviest volunteer activity
- Last-minute volunteer & logistics scheduling conflicts
- Needing to make sound, quick decisions based upon available information
Work Environment:
- Work is in-person in both an office and warehouse/transportation environment
Interested in learning more?
Information & application here >
Table to Table’s Mission Statement:
Table to Table bridges the gap between abundance and hunger. Our mission is to increase food equity and reduce environmental harm by collecting and redistributing surplus food through partners to people who can use it.
Ngonyo Reflects on the Surprises of Food Recovery during her AmeriCorps Service at T2T
Table to Table welcomed Ngonyo Mungara to the team in January of 2023 in our final contingent of COVID-19 Recovery AmeriCorps service members. Ngonyo focused on supporting T2T’s daily operations, food rescue routes, free produce stands, and increasing food and vegetable starter plant donations during her half-year term serving in her role of food rescue specialist.
As a student at the University of Iowa majoring in Education Studies and Human Relations with a certificate in Public Health, Ngonyo was drawn to this role at T2T by an interest in learning how nonprofits operate on a day-to-day basis and practice sustainability. “I’ve always been interested in sustainability and reducing waste and I thought food rescue was a really interesting way to help others while also reducing waste,” she says.
Once she completed her service term, she took some time to reflect on her experience in food rescue:
“Serving at T2T taught me so much more about the Iowa City and Johnson County community. I never knew there were so many programs and people in our area dedicated to helping those in need. It also made me happy to learn that many of the businesses I shop at are partnered with Table to Table and are doing their part to reduce food waste and support our community. It has been a pleasure to work with the T2T staff. Everyone here has been so helpful, friendly, and welcoming and it has made my time here so enjoyable. The staff and volunteers here have such a positive and flexible attitude, and that is something that’s needed in this work where each day can be so different.
“My favorite thing about working here was working with different volunteers while filling in on routes. Going on food rescue routes and helping to recover food for people in need while reducing food waste was such rewarding work. While on routes, I had many encounters with our partners where they would tell us how much they love what we’re doing and how happy they are that Table to Table exists. It amazes me that T2T has such a large and dedicated group of volunteers who devote their time to helping support our food rescue efforts. It was a pleasure to get to know volunteers from so many different walks of life and learn why they like volunteering for T2T… You never get bored at Table to Table!
“Towards the end of my service term I started to reach out to the cultural grocery stores in the Johnson County area in the hopes that they will consider donating to Table to Table. Johnson County is becoming an increasingly diverse area and there is a need for more culturally relevant foods in pantries to support these communities. T2T will continue reaching out to these businesses in the future and we hope that we can find ways to get a more diverse selection of food to our recipients.”
To conclude, we asked Ngonyo to tell us about one of her most interesting experiences on a food rescue route. She remembers: “On one food rescue route we accepted shoes from Natural Grocers. I wasn’t sure which partner would take them, but we ended up delivering them to the Salvation Army hot meal and social assistance site.” The situation turned out to be quite serendipitous: “The woman [greeting us to receive donations at the Salvation Army] was so excited that we had shoes and told us there was a man there who had been needing a new pair for a long time now and had been asking for them everyday.”
The world of food rescue is truly unpredictable – We usually just collect food! – but thanks to our donor partners’ creativity in keeping resources from going to waste and our food access partners’ deep engagement with community members, we’re delighted to help match occasional donation surprises with community needs.
We were so grateful to have Ngonyo on the team and appreciate the thoughtfulness, dedication, and knowledge she brought to her role!
Adaptability Through Partnership
This article appears in Table to Table’s 2023 Impact Report.
Unfortunately, an ever-increasing number of neighbors need to turn to food pantries for assistance with getting food on the table, feeling the effects of rising costs due to inflation and significantly reduced SNAP benefits. Johnson County residents visited T2T’s three largest food pantry partners nearly 180,000 times last year (North Liberty Community Pantry, CommUnity Food Bank, and Coralville Community Food Pantry). Typically, they have seen a 15% increase from year to year. In 2023, the need for food more than doubled.
We cannot sing the praises of our partner organizations enough as they are ALL providing more support than ever before. They need more food to meet the higher need, more volunteers to support programs, and more staff to manage these unprecedented changes. We know it takes creativity, flexibility, and extra time and effort to make use of all the food we bring to the door, and they maintain their efforts in spite of the circumstances. We’ve weathered this year together through the strength of our partnerships.
The T2T distribution network delivered several thousand pounds of strawberries to partners across Johnson County on 10 distribution routes in 3 days! This only works if the entire network is ready – from knowing who to call when a donation comes in to lining up volunteers to sort and distribute the food when it arrives. Our quick delivery model and motivated partners are key to our adaptable process.
More large volume donations that required adaptability:
Our donor and recipient partner lists change with the changing needs of the community. Click here for a complete and current list of partners.
