My name is Jennifer Johnson, and I am currently completing my education to become a registered dietitian. Part of this process includes an internship that requires 1,200 hours of supervised practice. With a registered dietician on staff, I have been fortunate to work at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle to complete many of these hours during my food service rotation. This has provided me with varied and valuable real-world skills that I can apply to my future career.
Every week at the Food Shuttle was full of new experiences from which I could learn and contribute. I collaborated with other interns and staff to update the food items for the school pantries and Grocery Bags for Seniors program. I designed a food pantry model that will assist the Food Shuttle with adding future pantries to low-income senior communities. I learned about human resources and how food is recovered and procured for distribution. I cooked with the culinary staff and created a beef stew to be served at a local soup kitchen. I served meals from the Food Shuttle’s food truck, The Spinning Plate, at a Mobile Market. And I finished my rotation by spending several days on the Food Shuttle Farm assisting with food production where I planted over 700 tomato seeds!
There are many lessons I will take with me from my time with the Food Shuttle. Perhaps the most important is having experienced an organization with many different teams and roles that effectively work together in pursuit of a common cause. I am amazed at the numerous ways the Food Shuttle works within the organization and through community partners to alleviate hunger and empower the community. It has been incredibly fulfilling to be a part of the solution to help our neighbors in need. Though it is time for me to move on to my next rotation, I will continue to be an ambassador for the Food Shuttle and its mission to feed, teach, grow, and cultivate a hunger free community.
