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!
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 out 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.
Employee since 2022
What is your role at Wayside?
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.
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!