Staff
MARY ZWOLINSKI, Executive Director
Board Member since 2007, Employee since 2012
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As the Executive Director of Wayside, I oversee things on a macro level-finances, development, strategic planning, HR, etc. I work closely with the Wayside team to ensure that the details of the day to day programs and operations are successful.
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We prioritize respect for all the people we work with.
All of the food we provide through all of our programs is free-we do not charge partner agencies or individuals for anything.
The Wayside staff is dedicated to our community. Our Board of Directors is committed to ensuring that Wayside offers meaningful compensation, reflecting the values and respect we bring to the work we do and the people we work with. Only one person has left their job here in the last 5 years-that tells me we’re doing something right. here
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I believe access to food is a right of all people. Wayside makes that as easy as possible while ensuring that the food we share with our community is nutritious and culturally-appropriate.
EMMA BERRY, Community Meals & CSFP Manager
Employee since 2022
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As the Community Programs Manager I am primarily focused on our Community Meals Program and Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). These programs allow Wayside to partner with community members and other organizations to share food in welcoming and engaging ways. The Community Meals host free, weekly lunches and dinners throughout Greater Portland. Beyond sharing meals, these gatherings also offer opportunities to foster camaraderie between neighbors. CSFP provides supplemental groceries to residents who are 60 years and older in Cumberland, Oxford, and York Counties. I work to develop new partnerships for these programs and maintain the ones we have in place. I am consistently looking for other ways to include community members in Wayside's programs.
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Wayside is all about inclusivity. Whether it be volunteers, staff, community members, or partners, everyone has a place and voice at Wayside. Since working here, I have gotten to know people from across our community. Everything we do is a reflection of our dedication to cultivating relationships.
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Wayside is so much more than just a food program. We use food as a tool to bring people together in safe and welcoming spaces. As the Community Programs Manager, I get to meet new people every day. I love hearing peoples' stories and their experiences. I am also very fond of our Food Rescue Program, which prevents food from ending up in our landfills.
MARCUS BOUCHER, Warehouse Manager
Employee since 2021
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I bring many years of experience managing product logistics and using power equipment to bridge the gap between goods and people. I use this experience in my role supporting our kitchen and warehouse's work to share food and meals. At our Mobile Food Pantries and Community Meals, not only do I coordinate the logistics of moving groceries and meals, I make sure everyone feels welcome and has a dignified and friendly experience.
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A small team of staff runs Wayside's programs, but we depend upon the generosity of hundreds of volunteers. The volunteers make it all happen. I am in awe of all the volunteers I get the opportunity to work alongside. It is inspiring that people are so generous with their time and choose to spend it finding ways to do good for our community. It is incredible how many different life experiences have led people to volunteer at Wayside and value food's critical role in our community. They are generous with their time, but they are also generous in sharing their wisdom. I learn so much about so many things from them.
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I love getting to know the folks we work with and building rapport and unique relationships. Nothing brings me more joy than when we have something I know folks will be extra excited about or how happy folks are when I remember what they like. My coworkers aren't terrible either!
LAURA HAMILTON, Development Assistant & Metrics Coordinator
AmeriCorps volunteer 2009, employee since 2010
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I hold Wayside accountable to our community through record-keeping and impact assessment. It might sound a little boring if you don’t find spreadsheets exciting, except that at the heart of what I do is telling the stories of how folks are coming together to share the abundance of our community. My job is to use the data to celebrate, encourage, and remind folks that every single one of us is an important and valuable part of our community.
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Everything we do at Wayside is done in partnership with other individuals and organizations in our community. Our work is just as much about food and nourishing bodies as it is about nourishing social connections. There are no prerequisites, means tests, or eligibility requirements to participate in our programs. Everyone is actively and enthusiastically welcomed.
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I choose to work here because Wayside isn’t a traditional charity model. Wayside’s mission intentionally states that we are guided “by a deep compassion for our common humanity.” We don’t approach our work as providing services to “needy people.” We all have needs, but that’s only part of who we are. Sharing food is a profoundly joyful and sacred opportunity to be in companionship with each other. It helps us to overcome our differences in a spirit of mutuality. Each of our staff, board members, volunteers, and community partners are dedicated to finding ways to use food to build connections.
HANNAH MCFARLAND, Community Meals Assistant
Employee since 2024
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My job at Wayside is to deliver all of our local community meals to their unique sites & make sure each one of our meal volunteers have what they need. We have nine total community meals every week but we also cater local school meals for families, pop up picnics in our community gardens & other impactful meals. If I am not at a meal site, I am in the kitchen assisting our kitchen manager in her execution of the community meals.
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That our impact in our community stretches so much farther than many know. At Wayside, we take in over a MILLION pounds of discarded food each year. We provide hot community meals to hundreds of people every week, we operate mobile food pantries with vacuum sealed proteins & produce, local school meals for kids and their families along with a kid's snack program & helping fill food pantries all across Cumberland county. After that, whatever remains will be composted or given to a local pig farmer.
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As soon as I found out what exactly Wayside was and learned about all the ways we embody being a "food rescue program", I wanted to be a part of it. It's not everyday that most people can say they can make an income while making an impact.
DON MORRISON, Operations Manager
Employee since 2009
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I am responsible for all the day-to-day operations. Each day is different and very rarely will you find me sitting still. I make sure everyone is conducting their roles and responsibilities correctly and efficiently. Another big part of my job is procuring the food to distribute through our Food Rescue program. I coordinate getting that food to our warehouse and redistributing it to our partner agencies. I also fill in for staff in the kitchen, warehouse, and on the road picking up or delivering food.
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In addition to increasing access to nutritious food in our community, Wayside feels it is just as important to strengthen our community through our Community Meal sites by using food to bring people together.
Most of the food we distribute to pantries and use in Community Meals is recovered through the Food Rescue program. Not only are we using food to feed people, we keep millions of pounds of edible food out of the waste stream.
Wayside is incredibly proficient and creative at leveraging our food, volunteers, and other resources to make the greatest impact in our community.
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In addition to believing in Wayside’s mission, the best part of my job is all the people I connect with on a daily basis. In a typical day I might interact with volunteers, community members, donors, board members, and of course my fellow Wayside colleagues. I don’t know of many jobs where I would have the opportunity to connect with such a diverse group of people.
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I get to help tell Wayside’s story! With that said, I update and maintain our online presence through various platforms. My background in new media makes this an ideal fit! I also work closely with the executive director and metrics coordinator when developing our annual report and planning Inside Wayside (a fundraising event).
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Wayside has a multi-faceted operation that includes food rescue almost daily, nine weekly community meals, and four mobile food pantries that happen monthly. The volunteers who donate their time are the backbone of our services. None of this would be possible without their continued support of our programs.
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I work at Wayside because I believe in the mission. Combating food insecurity is a massive undertaking, but this organization has shown time and time again that they are up for the challenge. It’s an honor to be part of a team that cares so deeply about the well-being of their community.
SARAH WOLF, Kitchen Manager
Employee Since 2024
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I am the Kitchen Manager. I am responsible for orchestrating a few hundred meals that Wayside sends into the community each week. Using my culinary skills and interests, I plan menus, peruse available ingredients from our warehouse, design meals and preserve food from varying source donations, including area grocery stores and local farm fresh produce. Each week brings a new variety of ingredients and a new challenge to our team. With the cooperation of kitchen staff and dedicated volunteers, we bring these meals to table throughout the community.
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Wayside fosters community connection through food. What better way to bring people together than at the table? By partnering generous donors, skilled staff and dedicated volunteers, it is a joyful experience to work in an environment of service, where people feel valued and respected for their unique contributions.
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When I first heard about Wayside, I was excited because Wayside aligns with my own values and goals. Working with volunteers in the kitchen helps to nourish ourselves and others, in both body and soul.
JACOB WRIGHT, Warehouse Assistant
Employee Since 2024
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My role at Wayside is to assist in the warehouse by rescuing food from various businesses in Maine, ensuring optimal food safety for the rescued product and helping to keep the warehouse organized.
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I would like people to know that Wayside is an integral part of our community. Wayside’s success depends on volunteers who dedicate their time to help pack, organize, cook and deliver meals to those who do not have access to food. By providing grocery staples, food and meals to those who are unable to, Wayside provides a food security to those who need it most.
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I work at Wayside because I have experienced food insecurity in my life. I am now able to give back to the community that helped provide meals to me and my family when we needed it. I am happy to have the opportunity to try and reduce food insecurity to those around me by helping Wayside rescue food to create nutritious meals for people in need.