Phoebe Zamoff, HALO Program Director works with the Emergency Food Network
The spring 2024 semester introduced a new Community Partner to Madison House: the Emergency Food Network (EFN). Phoebe Zamoff, currently a second-year UVA student, devoted the fall semester to fostering a relationship with the EFN in order to give UVA students an additional opportunity to fight food insecurity in Charlottesville. “I wanted to create a new program at Madison House that was dedicated to fighting food insecurity in Charlottesville,” Phoebe explains. “I have been working to fight food insecurity since I was in high school when I created a nonprofit called Shop For One More. Shop For One More was focused on providing healthy and sustainable food directly to the Minneapolis community.”
John Piller, Madison House Outreach and Partnership Manager, was a vital part in establishing this relationship.“Phoebe reached out to me in my role as Partnerships and Outreach Manager early in the fall semester to discuss an idea she had about addressing food insecurity in the community,” explains John. “At almost the same time, the director of the Emergency Food Network reached out asking if we could help them find volunteers to help them fulfill their mission of providing three days of balanced meals to individuals and families in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.” Thus, he connected Phoebe to the EFN staff and after several zoom calls and in-person meetings, the partnership was formed. John recalls the joy he felt when Phoebe and the EFN contacts met for the first time, saying, “We all knew that this was going to be an immediate success that would help so many people in our community!”
“What is the EFN? The Emergency Food Network provides a three day supply of food for their clients, including both perishable and non-perishable items. ”
Specifically, EFN needed additional volunteers to unload food delivery trucks and stock shelves. They had been struggling to fill some specific shifts with their own volunteer staff and were excited to partner with Madison House. Phoebe reached out to friends and fellow peers, recruited volunteers on Madison House's social media, and created a slide on Madison House's website. She now oversees 16 volunteers who unpack donations of food, including cereal, canned goods, fruits, and vegetables, every other Tuesday afternoon. They offer the consistency the EFN was looking for during that time frame. Phoebe hopes to add shifts on Saturdays, too.
Phoebe enjoys volunteering because it helps her stay connected to the Charlottesville community. She appreciates the opportunity to provide direct aid to the community and encourages other students to get involved. If you are a UVA student interested in volunteering for the Emergency Food Network through Madison House, please complete this form.
By Cecilia Murphy