AmeriCorps

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!

Marquis Heard joined the Table to Table team for a 2023 Summer term as our Produce Stand Coordinator and loved it so much that he chose to stay on for a full 11 month Green Iowa service term, completing a total of 14 months of service with us. He used expertly crafted media relations to significantly raise the profile of T2T’s environmental work and dedicated much of his time to developing and refining our Overages, Shortages, and Damages (OSD) program that focuses on rescuing food from rejected truckloads in the area.

Marquis took the time to reflect on his experiences at Table to Table upon completing his final service term.

I began my first AmeriCorps service term with Table to Table in June 2023. During my three month summer term, I was T2T’s Free Produce Stand Coordinator and was responsible for scheduling and leading over 30 free produce stands hosted in Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty. To me, the most memorable aspect of T2T’s free produce stands was the level of community engagement that existed at them. At each stand, it was great to see people connect around produce and share recipes and dishes with each other. It was also nice to see folks stop by the stand and not only take produce for their family, but for neighbors, friends, and others. I feel as if there’s real connection in sharing food with those around you, and that connection goes much deeper than just nutrition. Before I knew it, an entire summer had passed and I had assisted in distributing over 23,000 lbs of produce through the free produce stands. My term was wrapping up around September, and the last thing I wanted to do was move on from Table to Table right as I truly understood a lot of the intricacies that went into T2T and its mission. Fortunately for me, an 11 month Green Iowa AmeriCorps position was available and offered to me which I gladly accepted.

As a Green Iowa AmeriCorps member, my role switched from coordinating free produce stands to wrapping up the gleaning season, and also assisting with developing Table to Table’s OS&D program. Gleaning is the act of harvesting produce that is excess, and may go to waste in the fields otherwise. Table to Table has a strong connection with over 20 local farms and gardens, and these growers contact T2T when there’s produce for the Gleaning Coordinator to arrange to harvest. It was great to see the other side of T2T’s local produce recovery program, to go from distributing the produce at the stands to harvesting and collecting it felt like a well rounded experience for me. I was also able to gain knowledge on how some of the fruits and vegetables I eat everyday are grown, which is something I didn’t take the time to consider prior to my service term. Additionally, I enjoyed forming relationships with all of the local growers, and to see their excitement and passion for growing food, and the amazing volunteers I met on gleans. Table to Table’s local produce recovery is so special because it provides a home for excess produce that growers put so much time and effort into, and that home is directly in the communities it’s grown in. 

As mentioned earlier, I also assisted in developing T2T’s growing OS&D program. Similar to local produce recovery, the Overages, Shortages, and Damages (OS&D) program finds a home for food that gets rejected within the trucking/transportation industry. These rejections can happen for many reasons, the truck brought too much of a product, the wrong product, or a pallet in the shipment was partially damaged so the whole load was rejected. Assisting in developing this program was a really unique experience since I was given the opportunity to start at almost square one, and was able to see the thoughts and considerations that go into creating a new food rescue program. I really appreciated the time and consideration that the OS&D team, and the T2T staff as a whole, put into explaining to me the broader aspects of how decisions within a program are made. Through OS&D initiatives, I assisted T2T in accepting 40,000 lbs of potatoes from a farm in Canada, 30,000 lbs of Rice-A-Roni from a local trucking company, and 16 other rejected loads from semi truck drivers. Overall, the program collected over 82,000 lbs of food that would have ended up in a landfill otherwise. 

I’m now wrapping up my 14th month serving at Table to Table, and would sign up for another term in a heartbeat if I were able to. In my time at Table to Table, I feel as if I’ve gained countless lifelong experiences, both professionally and personally. T2T truly invests in their AmeriCorps members. Food rescue is ever changing, unpredictable, and sometimes hectic, yet staff still take the time to give even the three month members the best experience possible. It was more than a pleasure to be a part of the T2T team.

We are so thankful for the immeasurable impact Marquis had at T2T during his time with us!

Noah Thomas joined the Table to Table team in June of 2024 as a Summer term Green Iowa AmeriCorps service member. He served as a Food Recovery Support and Training Specialist, becoming the point person for assisting with day-to-day tasks and challenges such as last-minute routes, leading weekly partner pickups, and other various projects to help streamline operations. Noah says of his role, “At T2T, you never know what challenges will pop up. This enabled me to become a more flexible and prepared worker so I could fill the needs of the task at hand.” 

Noah is a student at the University of Iowa entering his third year as a triple major in Political Science, Ethics, and International Relations. He came into his service term with a curiosity and passion for the food recovery system and said of his time at Table to Table, “It has been a rewarding and impactful employment experience, more so than any other position I have held.” 

Upon completing his service term, Noah took the time to reflect on some of his specific experiences and how his time at Table to Table impacted him.

  One of the most memorable experiences was our special Chipotle pickups. A new location for the restaurant opened up in Coralville and they contacted T2T to do 8 special pickups for specific times. The training for their new employees entailed simulating a normal workday, during which they produced a large amount of prepared food that would be wasted if not picked up by T2T. One of the two daily pickups was to be done at 8:30 pm. I took part in 3 of the 4 night pickups with other AmeriCorps members. It was a fun experience to rescue that much food, and our partners were very happy to receive it. 

I feel what made serving at T2T so enjoyable was the people. The other AmeriCorps members, T2T staff, our dedicated volunteers, and those from our partner organizations who work so hard to serve the public are all people whom I interacted with daily. All of these people brightened my day in different ways. Knowing that what we were doing was helping the community made it feel like less of a job. It was never something to be dreaded, in fact I consistently looked forward to every day I spent at T2T. I truly think the most challenging aspect of working at T2T will be leaving.

Although his three month term flew by in the blink of an eye, Noah claims his short time at Table to Table sparked a shift in perspective that restored his hope that there are truly good things and good people out there. Because of this he has decided to continue as a volunteer following his service term. Thank you, Noah!

Table to Table welcomed Emma Duncan to the team in June of 2024 as one of our Summer term Green Iowa AmeriCorps service members. During her service here, Emma helped us rescue 340,267 lbs. of produce, much of which was distributed to our neighbors at our weekly Free Produce Stands, a program she devoted much of her time to developing and expanding. Additionally, Emma served as a core support team member, taking on important daily responsibilities like program coverage, fleet & facility, and assisting with the gleaning program. “These experiences were invaluable for understanding how the entire Table to Table organization operates. I also found contributing to these programs extremely fulfilling personally and helped me feel connected to the Iowa City community,” Emma said of the multi-faceted nature of her role.

With a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development from the University of Iowa, and an undergraduate background in business, marketing, and environmental studies, Emma came to us with an existing interest in sustainable practices and lots of valuable experience that made her a great asset to our team. Coming into her service term, Emma’s goals were to learn more about the local food system, as well as improve her communication and planning skills. “My Table to Table experience exceeded these expectations. I gained confidence in my decision-making skills and developed a sense of agency that really took me by surprise,” Emma commented on the ways in which she grew both personally and professionally.

Upon concluding her service term, Emma took some time to reflect on her experience in food rescue and the ways in which Table to Table helped her achieve these goals:

In my last week of service, another AmeriCorps member and I organized a last-minute adjustment to a route so that we could collect over 700 pounds of watermelon. At the beginning of my term, I would not have felt comfortable making the call on whether I had the capacity to make such a large impromptu rescue, however, my improved decision-making skills helped me feel confident in my decision. I also found my interactions with volunteers, staff, and the community extremely rewarding and important to fine-tuning my communication skills. Additionally, I gained insights into community needs, received career and life advice, and laughed countless times all while contributing to a deeply impactful cause.

Despite serving at Table to Table for less than three months, Emma cites her experiences here as immensely impactful, especially from the perspective of transitioning from higher education to the workforce. “Thank you to the Table to Table staff, volunteers, AmeriCorps members, and partners!” No, thank you, Emma!

Adam McFee joined our ranks in January of 2024 as a weekly route volunteer before becoming a Summer term Green Iowa AmeriCorps member in June to serve as our Gleaning Coordinator. What excited him the most about this change was his personal interest in food rescue and sustainable practices, and the chance to have such a direct positive impact on his community. Building off the foundational work for our gleaning network set in place by a previous AmeriCorps member, Marquis Heard, Adam was able to increase the amount of food rescued through gleans by 106% compared to 2023, for a total of 2,046 lbs. of produce. He worked with five new growers in addition to existing partners and completed 27 gleans during the course of his term. 

Adam has plans to graduate from the University of Iowa in the Spring of 2025 with a degree in Environmental Policy and Planning. He came to us with previous experience working with Iowa produce farms and volunteering at the University of Iowa Food Pantry, as well as an existing interest in food systems and security. This made him an enthusiastic, motivated, and insightful addition to our team. 

Upon completing his service term in August, Adam took the time to reflect on his experience and impact at Table to Table. 

From the start of the summer, the training process felt very deliberate. I found that beginning training with the big-picture presentation on the Table to Table mission really got me motivated and I began to understand what my role would be on a day-to-day basis. Marquis was super important at first for getting started and offered lots of insight on glean-specific information. Most of the growers I gleaned with this summer had been found and contacted before I started, which I owe to Marquis, he really had the program on its legs before I started. 

This was my first job where I felt I had real agency over my time and how I would do the job. I was able to really build up the program in the way I felt was most effective and have a real hands-on role in its development. Fitting around program coverage, I thought of Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesday mornings as my slots for gleans, and aimed for two or three gleans a week. I created a thoughtful and deliberate process through which I approached my daily responsibilities for setting up and executing gleans, in addition to serving as a core support team member for regular operations as well. The dynamic nature of my role and the independence it allowed me really helped me grow professionally and personally in ways I will carry with me throughout all my future endeavors. 

Adam took the liberty of compiling and analyzing all the data he collected from his time as Gleaning Coordinator, offering valuable insight and suggestions for the ongoing development of our gleaning program. His dedication and thoughtful, deliberate approach to his work made a huge impact on Table to Table and the growth of our gleaning program. Thank you, Adam!

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!