People of Spoonfuls: Elizabeth Fier, Communications Coordinator
Food recovery doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes a community of food donors, community-based organizations, funders, and committed food recovery staff to help make the most of food while it’s still good to eat and get it to those who could use it. In “People of Spoonfuls,” we introduce you to the many people who help make our food recovery work possible.
Today, meet our Communications Coordinator, Elizabeth Fier.
What does a typical day as Spoonfuls’ Communications Coordinator look like?
In my role, every day looks a little different! Some days I’m out on the road with our Food Recovery Coordinators, taking pictures and videos of our work, other days I’m collaborating with our office team to draft future communications that tell the story of what we do. If you receive any of our communications – whether you follow us on social media, receive our emails, and more – chances are, I’ve had a hand in creating them!
What brought you to Spoonfuls?
I came to Spoonfuls right out of college. At my school, I had the opportunity to attend a nonprofit conference where I learned all about what it looked like to work for a nonprofit, and that experience helped me realize I wanted to have a career grounded in purpose. I’ve always felt that, if I’m not passionate about the core mission of my job, I can’t produce my best work. Spoonfuls’ mission to “deliver food with purpose,” uplifting people, the planet, and the economy through making the most of good food, makes it one that’s easy to support. It was a perfect fit for me.
Who on Team Spoonfuls inspires you?
Someone on Team Spoonfuls who inspires me is Kim Vanacore, our Manager of Development and Strategic Administration. Kim started at Spoonfuls as a Food Recovery Coordinator and has since transitioned to our office team. She uses all of the invaluable knowledge about food recovery she gained while working on the road to help keep our systems in tip-top shape. She never backs away from a challenge and is so appreciated by every vertical on our team.
What has been your biggest “aha” moment working in food recovery?
One of my biggest “aha” moments at Spoonfuls was when I had the opportunity to interview a staff member at one of our community partners, Larry from Boston Rescue Mission. Larry was originally a resident at Boston Rescue Mission and has since become a staff member at their program, helping community members who are seeking similar services to those he personally benefited from. It was so lovely to hear about his experience receiving food from Spoonfuls and how the services at one of our partners helped change the trajectory of his life. You can read more about his story on our blog.
What is something you wish more people understood about food recovery?
Something that I wish more people understood about food recovery is the logistical effort that goes into making the work happen every day. Our Programs team works very hard to ensure that we have enough high-quality food for our 250+ community partners. They’re in constant communication with our Food Recovery Coordinators, our food donors, and local community organizations to ensure that good food isn’t going to waste, and that Spoonfuls can have the greatest possible impact with the resources available to us. Food recovery is a much more intentional process than many people might think, and that I originally thought before working at Spoonfuls.
What is your favorite way to reduce food waste?
My favorite way to reduce food waste is to always grocery shop with a list! I’m a Trader Joe’s gal through and through, so each Sunday, I go into my weekly shop with a list and buy only what I’ve planned for. By the end of the week, my fridge is nearly empty, which might look a little sad, but it keeps me from creating food waste and helps me to use only what I need in a given week.
