UVM student interns help the Foodbank harvest fresh, local food to share with Vermonters in need

Over the past three years, the Vermont Foodbank has collaborated with the University of Vermont (UVM) to host ten interns to support our work in Chittenden County. The internship is a unique opportunity for students to learn first-hand about food insecurity and work on community food access initiatives. This summer and fall we are lucky to be hosting three amazing interns from UVM through our gleaning and nutrition education program, VT Fresh.

At least one day each week, interns are out in the fields at local farms gleaning fresh vegetables for our neighbors in need. This fresh produce is then distributed to partner food shelves and meal sites who share it with Vermonters facing hunger in our local communities. Throughout the week, interns use gleaned produce to provide cooking demos and taste tests of healthy food at local partner food shelves including Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf, Hinesburg Food Shelf, Winooski Food Shelf, and the Janet S. Munt Family Room, as well as at the Foodbank’s VeggieVanGo produce events at JFK Elementary School in Winooski.

Please welcome the newest members of the Vermont Foodbank team! We are currently looking for interns for the fall and spring. If you are interested in learning more about our program, contact Andrea Solazzo at asolazzo@vtfoodbank.org.

Rebecca Nottonson: I am a Junior at the University of Vermont with a major in Food Systems. I grew up in Massachusetts with an older brother and a younger sister and you could almost always find us outside. My parents often took us hiking, biking, camping, swimming, and to the soccer field before we were old enough to make our own decisions. My mom and dad are also what I like to call ‘health freaks,’ but looking back I am beyond grateful for this mindset. At the time, it meant hiding my food at lunch so kids wouldn’t ask me what obscure vegetable I was eating. But as I got older, people wanted to know about the healthy food I wished away and so did I. I find myself identifying as a foodie, a student, a musician, an environmentalist, an athlete, a cook, and so much more. I am always looking to try new things, meet new people and learn more about myself and the world. In the future, I see myself working a dynamic job revolving around my love of food and personal connection.

Kendall Ross: I’m from a small farm town in Connecticut. I grew up working on a small peach orchard a couple miles away from my childhood home. Since then I have developed a deep passion about what I eat and where it come from. I love to learn about others’ relationships to food both culturally and nutritionally. I was very fortunate to have lived in a a home where my family put a strong emphasis on wholesome, nutritious foods. My upbringing and experiences have helped shape my mindset on food healthy. I’m currently majoring in dietetics and nutritional food science at the UVM and strive to find a path that links my passion for food, nutrition and human connection.

Jess Giordano: I am a senior at UVM studying food systems. My pronouns are she and her. I was born and raised in Connecticut but I now call Vermont my home. I hope to work in a flexible job where I could travel and work in global food security. Art and social justice are two things that inspire me the most. I support the Black Lives Matter movement, Planned Parenthood, and inter-sectional feminism. Fun fact: I have a fraternal twin who lives and studies international relations in Madrid, Spain.