MARY ZWOLINSKI, Executive Director
Board Member since 2007, Employee since 2012
What is your role at Wayside?
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.
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
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.
Why do you work at Wayside?
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.
What is your role at Wayside?
My primary role is to make sure we have all the necessary supplies needed for our office, warehouse, and kitchen. I am also responsible for updating records from our programs. As the Office Administrator I pay bills, maintain accounting records, and take care of banking.
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
Wayside has a small dedicated staff who are motivated by their commitment to our community members.
This dedication to individuals has enabled Wayside to attract many wonderful and caring long-term volunteers. One of our annual events is a celebration of their work to make sure they know how much they are appreciated. We also take our responsibility to folks who need to do court-appointed community service seriously, and welcome them without judgment.
Why do you work at Wayside?
I have been working for many years, previously only within the business sector: law, accounting, insurance, etc. I finally realized I wanted to experience the nonprofit world. When I decided to come back to Portland after a year away, the only place I wanted to be was helping Wayside serve lunch at the soup kitchen. Six years ago, I was hired full-time in Wayside’s office. Another great thing about working at Wayside: NO DRESS CODE!
JEREMY ASHE, Warehouse Manager
Employee since 2022
What is your role at Wayside?
I manage Wayside's warehouse, alongside our dedicated team of all-stars, and lots of amazing volunteers. I coordinate all of the food coming in and going out to our partners across Southern Maine. I'm officially a professional food pusher! I work with local livestock farmers and an industrial composting company to ensure that any food that is not fit for human consumption stays our of our landfills. I help oversee and coordinate our Mobile Food Pantry Program, and work with the rest of our team to curate the foods we share at each location. I'm also consistently oversharing photos of my adorable cats and dogs!
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
Whether you donate food, money, or time, you can trust your investment in Wayside will make a difference in our community. Especially if that donation is an electric forklift with retractable forks, HVAC repair services, or a wall demo and ramp buildout (non-hypothetically-speaking of course).
Why do you work at Wayside?
I spent many years managing the warehouses of large supermarkets. I got to know Wayside through these partnerships, when Wayside staff and volunteers would come to pick up donations through the Food Rescue Program. I fell in love with Wayside's work to prevent food waste and share food with our community members. I am grateful each day for the opportunity to use my experience and skillset to make Wayside's warehouse a more welcoming and efficient place to support our partner agencies with food.
It is unusual to meet and work alongside so many different people who probably would otherwise never have a reason to cross paths. To see the role food plays in helping establish common ground never ceases to amaze me. And I enjoy learning about all of the creative ways people find to use food to bring family. friends, and neighbors closer together.
EMMA BERRY, Community Programs Manager
Employee since 2022
What is your role at Wayside?
As the Community Programs Manager I am primarily focus 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.
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
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.
Why do you work at Wayside?
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.
Employee since 2021
What is your role at Wayside?
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.
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
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.
Why do you work at Wayside?
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!
MORGAN DITMARS, Kitchen Manager
Employee since 2022
What is your role at Wayside?
As the Wayside Kitchen Manager, it is my job to create meals that reflect the community they are going to. I begin each day working with the Wayside Warehouse team to pull ingredients for each of our meals. Each site has its own identity, food preferences, and amount of people attending so – with the help of our wonderful volunteers – we build a menu that fits them!
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
Wayside is a partnership- between meal sites, pantries, community members, farms, volunteers & staff. Everyone is willing to provide a hand (or two!) to make this operation possible. To get food to any and everyone who needs it. We have the opportunity to help so many people but only because we have so much help making it possible.
Why do you work at Wayside?
It’s my goal to not only provide meals but to also give people an opportunity to connect with each other. Food helps you to slow down, talk, laugh, and stay connected. These meals give people the opportunity to be part of a community- with no barriers. Anyone is welcome & there is a seat at the table- I hear the food is pretty good too!
LAURA HAMILTON, Development Assistant & Metrics CoordinatorAmeriCorps volunteer 2009, employee since 2010
What’s your role at Wayside?
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.
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
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.
Why do you work at Wayside?
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.
Employee since 2021
What is your role at Wayside?
I am a Programs Assistant here at Wayside. I work closely with our Community Programs Manager. I am the liaison between Wayside and the 30+ Commodity Supplemental Food Program distribution sites across Cumberland, Oxford, and York Counties. I am also responsible for tracking volunteer hours for our dedicated volunteers who strive to make a difference in the community.
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
Wayside is highly driven to provide not just nutritious food to the greater Portland community, but we are also making sure that the food we are providing is culturally appropriate so that the food can be enjoyed by all. We also get regular donations from various farms, community members, and grocery stores.
Why do you work at Wayside?
I work at Wayside because I’ve always had a passion for helping others. Working here is very rewarding because I get to experience the joy on people's faces when they see the amazing foods we distribute. Everyone here supports each other, and we are like a family who all get along.
DON MORRISON, Operations ManagerEmployee since 2009
What is your role at Wayside?
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.
What would you like people to know about Wayside?
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.
Why do you work at Wayside?
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.
