Welcome, Kate!
Team Lovin’ recently added a new Food Rescue Coordinator to our team. Get to know Kate Constantine in this Q&A.
Tell us about your background! How did you become interested in food rescue?
My parents met working in the restaurant industry in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, so I grew up always eating local and getting to know the community that way. I followed in their footsteps and worked as a server and host all through college. I recently graduated from Wheaton College with a B.A. in Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies. During my semester abroad, I was an intern with HERA (Her Equality Rights and Autonomy), an anti-trafficking organization that works with survivors through an empowerment-based approach. It’s very easy to discuss systems of inequality in an academic way and criticize them or come up with solutions, but actually being able to meet people facing real challenges like food insecurity is completely different. I’m thrilled to be able to work with the Lovin’ team and our wonderful vendors and partners to feed the community!
What passions do you bring to the job?
A passion for community building and good food!
Have there been any surprises for you in the food you’ve rescued so far?
The routes will never keep anyone bored with their produce! Just today we rescued some gorgeous rainbow chard and huge boxes of sweet potatoes, corn, and mangos!
Do your friends/family consider you a good cook? Any signature recipes?
They certainly trust my advice on good take-out if that tells you anything.
What would we find in your fridge now?
Eggs, berries, Beyond Burgers, and a lot of seltzer water.
What’s your favorite childhood food memory?
My mother grew up moving between Brockton, MA; Chattanooga, TN; and Hampton, NH so she and her siblings got very creative reusing one grocery item for multiple purposes. Growing up, my favorite recipe was fried cheerios. It’s still my favorite comfort food.
Who are your heroes?
My brother, whose kindness and patience always inspired me, and who is also the person from whom I based my entire sense of humor—as little siblings do. My college advisor, Dr. Kim Miller, and of course, Joni Mitchell.
Learn more about Kate and the rest of Team Lovin’ on our staff page.