Spotlights

Annette Winker - Volunteer

Annette Winkler is the idyllic school teacher that everyone wishes they had in 4th grade. She radiates with kindness, compassion, enthusiasm, and that special magic (which only the best teachers possess) that makes even the most anxious or bashful person feel genuinely welcomed, seen, and free to be themselves. Annette has graced the food pantry with her presence since retiring from a long career at Coralville Central Elementary nearly a year ago. She is a fixture at the pantry and we truly do not know how we could function without her. Read more about Annette, in her own words, below.

1. Tell us a little bit about Annette!

I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, in a large family of five brothers and sisters. Looking back, among my happiest memories are when we were able to sit down together for dinner as one very loud but happy clan. The tradition, of no matter how busy we were, we would get together as a family around dinner, carried onward to my own family. Food and love connect in my mind; it's a big part of why I value the Pantry's work.

This community has given me so much. My children benefited from the excellent schools and friendships formed growing up. Although our home was in Iowa City, phase two of my teaching career began at Coralville Central. I fell in love with the school, the families, and the community of Coralville many years ago!

I met my husband, Mark, while studying for my teaching degree. Soon after graduation, we married and moved to Venezuela for Mark's job. I taught in an international school in Caracas until we moved to Singapore, where I taught at Singapore American School. I loved my international experiences, despite never having flown until I moved to Caracas!

After our first child was born in Singapore, we returned to the U.S. My husband's career had us moving every few years, and I spent the next 15 years at home with my three children, helping them acclimate to our moves to Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Kentucky. As a family of 5, we began another international experience living in New Zealand and Belgium. The move to Iowa turned out to be the biggest surprise of all! When asked to move to Iowa from Brussels, I assumed it was but one more step on the way to other locations. Surprisingly and happily, we have been here 23 years and counting.

2. Why in the world did you start hanging out with us?

I became aware of the food pantry when Hai Huynh, a parent, and colleague, left the school for a position with the Pantry. Soon after, the pandemic closed schools in March 2020. I was very hopeful that I would be able to volunteer at the Pantry during the school closure. Unfortunately, due to age restrictions, this was not possible.

I retired in December of 2020, still amid the pandemic. My daughter, who was living in Denver at the time, returned for a visit during a work furlough. She was looking for opportunities to fill her time, and I immediately thought of the Pantry! The staff graciously allowed her to become a volunteer. She returned home with such enthusiasm and fulfillment from this opportunity. I joined her a few days later, and the rest is history!

3. What has been your favorite part about volunteering at the food pantry? Any special/meaningful moments that stick with you?

Barring weather extremes, I honestly have enjoyed every single experience I have had at the Pantry. I love the variety of tasks and ways to stay engaged during every shift, whether stocking shelves, unloading deliveries, or helping members during their visit. In my short volunteer time, I have experienced the success of drive-through service and, more recently, in-person shopping. Members and volunteers alike have been flexible and understanding during this time of uncertainty and changes.

The opportunity to help with the COVID-19 vaccine clinic hosted by the Pantry was an experience that allowed me a greater insight into the many ways the food pantry assists its members well beyond putting food on the table. Connecting with and supporting community members who may have been less likely to receive the vaccine was genuinely uplifting.

4. Why should your fellow retirees join you in volunteering at the food pantry or elsewhere?

A word of caution for fellow retirees: This volunteer opportunity is only for people who like feeling welcome, appreciated, having fun, exciting work, camaraderie, helping others, and a sense of fulfillment. Enough said?

5. Is there any particular insight you'd like to share about your experience working with children and their families in this community and how it relates to the food pantry’s work?

Being a part of the Coralville community for many years, I have been aware of food insecurity for many of our families. Coralville is a growing community, and with that growth comes a greater need for resources and support. I am impressed by the many ways the food pantry supports and upholds the community.

6. Anything else you wish to add?

I am honored to volunteer with the Coralville Community Food Pantry and witness the staff's tireless efforts to make this community resource successful, even amid a pandemic. Thanks for making me feel welcome and part of the team!

Marisa Koontz - AmeriCorps Member

The most serendipitous thing that happened to us in 2020 was reconnecting with Marisa Koontz. In 2019, Marisa served as a marketing intern with us while finishing her final semester at Iowa. Last year, she answered our call when we searched for an AmeriCorps member to grow our burgeoning Home Delivery Program. Marisa joined us in September for a nine month service term. Time moved far too quickly, as we are now nearing the end of her term on June 18. Marisa has been the perfect person to help transform our home deliveries into an efficient, dignified, and sustainable anchor program. Thanks to her leadership, we are set to hire a permanent Home Delivery Coordinator in July to take up the mantle and continue growing this critical program. Thank you, Marisa, for making a tangible impact in our community! We are so excited about your future endeavors--remember that you will always be a part of the Coralville Community Food Pantry family, no matter where life leads you.

Tell us a little bit about your background!
I’m born and raised in Iowa, and lived my whole adolescent life in Dubuque, Iowa. I attended Central College for a year and a half and then transferred to the University of Iowa, where I graduated in 2019 with degrees in English and sociology.

What were you doing before you started this AmeriCorps position?
Before I started this AmeriCorps position I had been a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kosovo, teaching English with two Kosovar counterparts to elementary and middle school-aged children. I had been in Kosovo for 10 months prior to the coronavirus pandemic, and was evacuated in March 2020 back to the United States. After returning to the US I spent the summer of 2020 studying for the LSAT, and I moved to Iowa City in September to take care of my grandmother after she underwent surgery.

Explain what some of your day-to-day tasks looked like here.
My day usually starts with scheduling, and members typically schedule their deliveries with the pantry one of two ways. The first is through our online delivery ordering system, where members can visit coralvillefoodpantry.org/delivery and complete an online form with their delivery information and choose their food preferences. The second way members can schedule their deliveries is by calling the pantry, so a typical day starts with checking the online order form and the phone voice mailbox to see who all has requested deliveries for that day. I’ll usually make a list of the members who left voicemails, and begin scheduling their deliveries based on our volunteer driver availability. I’ll contact all the members who reached out for a delivery either by phone or text to schedule the delivery, and confirm their food items and any additional requests. About a half hour before any delivery route is when I begin to pack the food items into boxes, and fulfill all the requests that the member had for their delivery. Once the food boxes are packed (typically four per delivery route) then the volunteer driver will deliver them to the front door of members’ homes. Throughout the week I also assess the number of volunteer drivers and the volume of requests for delivery, and add additional routes to complete myself if needed.

What has been your favorite part about working at the food pantry?
My favorite part of working at the food pantry has been getting to know more about the Coralville community, including getting to know our members individually and building relationships with them. Many of our members receive delivery every week, and I always look forward to the phone calls I will have with each of our recurring members. Additionally, I have learned SO much about nonprofit work, grassroots movements, and the collective power of individual stories and voices. My experiences with CCFP have taught me invaluable lessons about how to better engage with and empower local communities, and I now love to engage my friends, family, and acquaintances and challenge them to make small changes in their communities in the ways that I see CCFP staff and volunteers empower the Coralville community every day. These conversations, which I wouldn’t have had without my experiences with CCFP, are absolutely my favorite ones to have, because I have been given the tools to engage in a meaningful way with those who have the privilege to make a difference in their communities.

Any special memories related to the home delivery program in particular?
One of my favorite memories, albeit small, came during my third month with CCFP. I came into work on Tuesday after being off for the weekend to double digit phone messages, all of which were members calling about setting up delivery. Not only was I pleased to see so many members reaching out for food delivery, but one of the coolest parts was that as I was flipping through the messages, the majority of them started with, “Hello Marisa!” and they continued with their delivery request. This simple greeting made me smile each time I heard it that day, and when I was able to call back the members that had left messages they all answered the phone with the same greeting, using my name. This was the moment that I realized I had made a real connection with our recurring home delivery recipients, and it felt great knowing that I could provide them with that sense of consistency each week as they called to receive food for themselves and their families. Also the fact that they even remembered my name and knew I would be the person listening to the messages was a great feeling. Since that time, I have grown to know each of these members on an individual level, and engaging with them every week has been a highlight of my time with CCFP. I will miss them all so dearly after my AmeriCorps position concludes, however I know that they will be in great hands with the rest of the CCFP staff.

What is something you learned/experienced in the last 7-8 months that you will take with you for the long haul?
There’s too much to ever complete a comprehensive list of things I have learned or will take with me after I’m finished at CCFP, however in working with and observing the work of our staff and volunteers over the last 8 months, I have been so inspired by their consistent selflessness and dedication to doing right by every single person in our community. The food pantry staff and volunteers take the time and energy to build substantial, meaningful relationships with pantry members and community members in a way that should be the standard for every nonprofit organization on every scale. Their passion for building these genuine relationships and fostering friendships within their community directly impacts the effectiveness of their work at the pantry and beyond, as they work together to improve the greater Coralville community for ALL its members. The staff and volunteers never shy away from creating these connections despite the circumstances of the people involved, and they always seek out solutions to the toughest of problems that our community members face. The way they emphasize working with one another and building bridges within the community is an attitude of nonprofit and social service work that I hope to take with me throughout the rest of my life in both career and personal pursuits.

What do you want people to know about food pantries and poverty?
They are not synonymous, they do not inherently go hand-in-hand, and any person at any time in their lives regardless of their financial situation could potentially need assistance from a food pantry. There is a huge misconception in American society that food pantries are a last resort, for people who are starving and unable to seek food in other areas of their lives. The reality is that food pantries simply act as an assistance service, and our individual members all have their own individual reasons for seeking out food assistance from the pantry. I have spoken to members who work multiple jobs and require food delivery during the few short hours they are home before they head back to their jobs. I have spoken to members who only receive delivery once a month to supplement their regular grocery bill and put away some money for savings. I have spoken to members who are in a nursing home and are unable to drive or walk to get their groceries, and use our home delivery to get food straight to their door without the hassle of a complicated online ordering system. Ultimately, the reason that members visit our pantry doesn’t matter, but it is important to understand that you cannot paint our members with one brush stroke. Our members represent the wonderful diversity of the Coralville community, and their reasons for utilizing the pantry are not restricted simply to being in “poverty.”

What's next for Marisa Koontz?
This fall I will be attending law school at the University of Maryland Francis Carey School of Law in Baltimore. I hope to study Public Health Law and complete a dual degree JD/Master of Public Health in four years while in Baltimore.

Anything else you want to add?
I encourage every single person I talk to, to get into your community and volunteer your time with a nonprofit organization. Especially in the wake of the COVID pandemic these organizations are looking for the essential time and energy of its members to help assist those who fell into unfortunate circumstances due to the pandemic. The need is greater all around because of the pandemic - for these services to exist, for donations to support them, and for volunteers to operate them. You learn so much working or volunteering for an organization such as CCFP and engaging with the members of your community outside of your typical bubble.

Karen Stierler - Volunteer

Partnerships, if you are lucky, can lead to positive things. In this case, a partnership with the Coralville Public Library led to a wonderful, lasting relationship with Karen Stierler, the library's Youth Services Assistant and Coralville resident.

Like many of our newest volunteers, Karen stepped up in the first few months of the pandemic, offering her time and talents to ensure that the pantry could stay open and remain a reliable source of food for our neighbors. She is part of our Thursday morning super squad and we are so grateful for the energy and kindness she brings with her every volunteer shift. We hope you enjoy learning more about our good friend Karen, in her own words, below:

What do you do outside of volunteering?
I enjoy working full time at the Coralville Public Library, where I get to work with teens. Very rewarding! I also work part time at Geoff’s Bike and Ski. Along with volunteering at the Coralville Food Pantry, I also volunteer at the Iowa City Bike Library and am on their board. I love to bike and travel, and travel and bike. I love to be outdoors, gardening, hiking, and exploring, and really enjoy hanging out with my kids and grandkids.

How did you both get involved at the pantry?
In 2019 as part of our Teen Summer Reading Program at the Library, PJ and John let me bring a group of 10-12 teens to the food pantry each Tuesday morning to volunteer. It was a great experience for the teens to see how the Food Pantry helps the community and to learn about the importance of volunteering. We all had so much fun there and loved helping out. I decided to continue at the end of the summer.

What do you like best about volunteering here?
I love working with John, PJ, Hai, Marisa, the other volunteers, and the members. It’s like one big family!

What are you hopeful about in 2021?
That everyone will get vaccinated and we can work towards getting closer to “normal”. I’m also hopeful that we can continue working towards becoming a more just society and spread kindness.

What types of partnerships would you like to see in the community in the coming years?
Partnerships are so important. I feel like the food pantry has so many good partnerships with different businesses and organizations. I love the partnership with the Food Pantry and the Coralville Public Library and would like to see that continue and grow. We’ve done so many Free Community Meals together and then recently worked together on the Vaccine Clinic where we vaccinated over 600 community members. It’s always rewarding!