Off the Road: with Abbey Nicholson

I’ve been the Development u0026 Marketing Coordinator here at Lovin’ Spoonfuls since July 2021, so just about 8 months – this time! I first worked at Spoonfuls’ back in 2019 as a Development u0026 Operations Intern.

I wear a lot of different hats in my job, but some of the major areas include managing our database of donors and contacts, assisting with event management, and processing all the donations we receive. By ensuring that our database is kept up to date and clean, our fundraisers can be confident that the information they have about someone is accurate (name, address, etc.). Our events provide opportunities for the community to come together and get to know our work better. And whenever someone makes a donation to Spoonfuls, I make sure that they are thanked and understand the impact of their contribution. 

All of this is important because it helps our frontline fundraisers create and maintain relationships with our community of donors, sharing with them the information they’re interested in and opportunities they’ll find most exciting, which in turn enables Lovin’ Spoonfuls to reach our fundraising goals. Reaching this goal is critical for our organization to continue our work, keeping Food Rescue Coordinators on the road rescuing and delivering wholesome food throughout Massachusetts.

The most gratifying part of my job is getting to see the impact of each dollar we raise. The work we do behind the scenes ensures our Food Rescue Coordinators have what they need to do the most important work – rescuing and delivering good food. Did you know that every dollar raised enables the rescue and delivery of roughly 3 pounds of fresh, wholesome food?

I’m not sure I can pick just one partner that has inspired me most. All of our partners are doing amazing work and have had an incredible response to Covid in our community. Through check-in calls with nonprofit partners and ride-alongs, I have learned just how much Covid impacted the way in which pantries and other programs operated. Changes in how people pick up food, availability of volunteers, and so much more. 

But over the past few months, there has been positive news. In many ways, some partners are starting to return to pre-Covid programming. I have heard pantries, like the one at the Natick Service Council, are starting to return to full choice pantries, as opposed to handing out pre-packed grocery bags as many did during Covid to maintain social distancing. This means community members are getting what they want, not just what someone thinks they need. And volunteers are starting to come back in full swing, like at The Salvation Army in Milford, where they have seen their community really rally around the important work they are doing. I am continually inspired by the perseverance of our nonprofit partners and their dedication to getting good food to good people.

Like many people I know who work in development, I kind of just fell into it. I was passionate about food justice and found a job that would support that work, and it happened to be as a Development u0026 Marketing Coordinator. While I love my job and the impact it has in the realm of food justice, if I wasn’t working at Lovin’ Spoonfuls, I would probably be pursuing my childhood dream of owning my own cafe and cooking tasty food for the community. I still hope to someday make that vision a reality.

When cooking for one, I find it hard to not make too much food. And while I am good for one repeat meal, I have a tendency to get bored eating the same thing throughout the week. So in an attempt to minimize wasted food in my house, I love to challenge myself to turn leftovers into new creations. For example, if I made too many vegetables as a side for my roasted chicken breast, maybe I’ll throw those veggies into a chili or put them on top of a pizza (pictured here) – anything to put a spin on those leftovers. This tactic helps me want to eat leftovers longer and prevents me from throwing something away.

I have a sailor figurine collection that I inherited from my grandmother. Throughout my house you can find a range of sailor figures ranging in size, color, and functionality (fun fact, one is even a bottle opener) totaling over 12. I like to think they bring me good luck and keep my Grandma ever present in my life.