Jessica - Afton Little Free Pantry Captain
posted on Friday, February 11, 2022
“Iowa Select Farms and the Foundation give back in so many ways, but I love the concept of the Little Free Pantries in particular,” said Jessica, a Production Well-Being Specialist for Iowa Select Farms and one of the three Little Free Pantry Captains in Afton.
The Afton installation she cares for was the second addition to the Little Free Pantry program. It is located on the town square adjacent to the city park and a splash pad in hopes of attracting the town’s youngest citizens. Jessica works together with two other Iowa Select Farms employees, Julie and T’Lee, to keep the pantry safe and stocked. When these three ladies work together, they are truly the dream team.
“From a responsibility standpoint, it’s great to be part of the team. It distributes the work and time. Plus, Julie and T’Lee are just great women to work with,” said Jessica. “Everything is better when you work as a team, and that’s the case with Iowa Select too. Here you do things as a team not just as an individual. You’re really working towards a common goal, and everyone pitches in.”
That motivation and commitment to work toward the common goal of fighting food insecurity in Afton and other Homegrown Iowa communities is what led Jessica to become a Little Free Pantry Captain.
“I knew I wanted to help provide support for people in the community that needed it, and the Little Free Pantries are the perfect way to do that,” she said. “It was a great idea to make a place that people in need can go for those essentials we sometimes take for granted. It’s a small amount of time for us to spend that can really have a large impact.”
Since the very beginning of our community giving efforts, we've witnessed first-hand how the littlest of gestures can provide big support to a family or child in need. This is a mission Jessica finds especially meaningful.
“I love the concept of giving back and this is just a such a fitting way to do it in our community,” said Jessica. “It’s rewarding knowing that you’re helping Iowa Select help others.”
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