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When I last left you after week one, I wasn't sure what the next few weeks would look like. Turns out, they looked a lot like this: showing up, listening intently, and somehow stumbling into exactly the right rooms at exactly the right time.
Let me take you through it. A Month of Open Doors I wandered into our lunch room one day to find the Nourishing the North Shore team mid-meeting. Nourishing the North Shore — a local nonprofit focusing on connecting the community to fresh, local produce, farms, and gardening resources — regularly uses our space to gather, and we’re currently working toward creating more permanent space for them here. They even have a produce washing station set up onsite, which feels fitting for a group so rooted in getting fresh food into the community. Instead of slipping back out unnoticed, I ended up staying for a few and connecting — which, honestly, feels like the story of this whole first month. I also attended the YWCA Luncheon focused on continuum of care. And if there's a topic that could make me forget to eat my lunch, that's it. I spent six years chairing the Youth Subcommittee and three years on the Board of Directors for the Lynn Continuum of Care. So walking into a room full of people committed to wraparound, connected services felt less like networking and more like coming home. I met Kate, the ED at the YWCA, Suzanne and her team from Jeannie Geiger — and I left genuinely inspired by the depth of services on the North Shore. My hope is to build close partnerships that move us toward a true no-wrong-door approach. If someone needs help, the door they knock on shouldn't determine whether they get it. Faces, places, and a few happy surprises The month was full of connections — some planned, some wonderfully not. Two of the Mosley Foundation trustees stopped by for an impromptu visit, and Ben (our Grants Manager) and I got to show them around the market and hub. There's something special about watching someone see the operation up close for the first time. I’ve worked with this foundation in the past, but this was my first time getting to meet them. At the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) In-Person Institute for Trustees (IFT) event, I ran into so many familiar faces from my time working on the lower North Shore. I ended up seated next to Dianne, the Executive Director at My Brother's Table in my hometown of Lynn — and we discovered that our two organizations get mixed up with each other fairly regularly. We had a good laugh. (For the record: two amazing organizations, one understandable source of confusion.) ONT also opened a new pantry in partnership with the Georgetown Council on Aging. I got to meet the ED there, Kristin, who is doing remarkable work. A quick note for anyone reading this: you don't have to be a senior to visit — the doors are open to the community. This marks our first direct presence in Georgetown, and it's off to a wonderful start. Joanne, a member of the COA staff, has been learning our software and absolutely hitting her stride. And Kyle, one of our Market Supervisors, has been an outstanding support through the whole launch. The highlight (again) I said it in my last post and I'll say it again: the ONT Community Meal is something else entirely. This month we celebrated the 34th anniversary of the meal at Main Street Congregational Church (MSCC), and the numbers alone tell part of the story — 80 people served in-house, more than 420 meals total (numbers typically only seen around holidays). There was live music. We sang Happy Birthday. I had the honor of serving as a waitress alongside ONT board members, and I want to be clear: Amber and the dedicated volunteers are the ones who make that night magic. I just got to be in the room. The next morning, I was at the Jardis-Taylor Center (JTC) for the 10-year anniversary when a guest from the community meal recognized me. That small moment meant more than I can easily explain. I got to meet Greg Jardis and Amesbury Mayor Kassandra Gove for the first time. Exactly 10 years ago, Greg sold ONT the space for the Jardis-Taylor Center for $1 — to be used as a market. When asked about his feelings on the 10 year mark, Greg shared something that really stuck with me: that you should use your good fortune to help others. It was a lesson his mother taught him — and the reason the center bears the name Jardis-Taylor, a tribute to the values he was raised with. That’s the whole point, really. I don’t think I could say it any better than that. Getting to know the people who make this work One of the most important things I did this month was sit down one-on-one with every single staff member. I wanted to hear how they got to ONT, what drives them, and where they see us going. What I found was a group of people who are resilient in the truest sense of the word — not just capable of weathering difficulty, but genuinely committed to something bigger than themselves. Those conversations gave me a clearer picture of this organization than any document could have. We also made a small but meaningful shift to our weekly rhythm: what was called the "stand-up meeting" is now our team meeting — a little more time, a little more connection, and a much better way to start a Monday. An award I almost didn't know how to accept To round out the first month, ONT received the Nonprofit Impact Award for 2026 at the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce — and I was the one standing on the stage to accept it. I’ll be honest: standing there accepting the award brought a mix of emotions — excitement, certainly, but also a sense of humility. I’ve only been here a month. The staff who navigated a major leadership transition, the board that kept steering through choppy waters, the volunteers who showed up week after week and kept the spirit of this place alive — they are the ones who earned that award. I accepted the award on their behalf, because this honor belongs to the community of people who have kept ONT strong through every season. And standing there, I felt something very clearly: this work matters deeply to the people who built it — and I intend to honor that every single day moving forward. If you’ve made it this far, I’m going to assume you’re one of our people — the kind who reads the whole newsletter, volunteers to stack chairs, and probably says ‘I can stay a few extra minutes’ knowing full well it could turn into an hour. Thank you for caring enough to keep showing up with us.
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Posted April 8, 2026
I'll be honest — walking in on my first day, I had a whole mix of feelings. Wonderfully excited, yes. But nervous, too. What if the community doesn't respond well to me? I didn't need to worry for long. I was welcomed with a banner on my office door, flowers from the board, and my business cards already printed and waiting on my desk. Pat, our board chair, brought me two copies of the newspaper from March — the one that announced I was joining the team. And Susan, who I have very quickly learned is the backbone of this entire office, had already set up my laptop and workstation before I even arrived. I felt so seen. That said, the first day was a lot. Pat, who volunteers in the market on Mondays, came by after her shift to check on me and told me I looked a little glazed over. She wasn't wrong. I'm transitioning from a job I held for five years into an entirely different organization, with a different mission, in a different region. There's a lot to absorb. But that's okay. I'm here for it. I spent the week meeting with our leadership team - some of the people who have kept this agency afloat since the Fall. They have been incredibly generous with their time and incredibly kind, and I want to recognize that this transition isn't just mine. It's theirs, too. I also started one-on-one meetings with staff, which I plan to continue. I want to understand everyone's history here, their schedules, and their working styles. There's no shortcut to that — it just takes time and listening. I also sat in with the development committee to talk about our upcoming gala on October 2nd at the Blue Ocean in Salisbury. Our working name? ONT After Dark — complete with a live jazz band. Mark your calendars. More details to come. The highlight of my week was — hands down — attending the community meal at the church on Wednesday evening. This meal has been running since 1992. (Side note: I was two years old. in 1992.) Every Wednesday, a team of dedicated volunteers serves hot meals to those in need — and they do it restaurant-style, waitress service and all. I met volunteers who have been showing up for over ten years, and volunteers like Jeanne, who is on only her second week. Every single one of them said the same thing: they absolutely love doing this. There was music — Mike Driscoll who plays every week (except the third Wednesday of the month, when he has a paying gig, which I respect) — and at one point, a volunteer named Sarah got up and sang with him. The kitchen is impressively small for the amount of food that comes out of it. The meal was delicious, especially the garlic bread. We even got a 5-star Google review that said so. I clearly picked the right night to go. On Thursday I sat in on volunteer orientation, where we had upwards of 14 new volunteers coming in to learn about ONT and explore how they could help. One piece of feedback I heard more than once: it can be hard to get a shift once you sign up. That's almost a good problem to have — so much enthusiasm! — but I want to make sure we meet people where they are. I assured everyone who mentioned it that we will be taking a close look at our volunteer opportunities to expand them and make sure everyone who wants to help has a real chance to do so. Later that afternoon I ran into Rita, who was actually part of the volunteer committee that interviewed me during the hiring process. She is wonderful. She told me that a group of volunteers are in the early stages of forming a Volunteer Advisory Council — working on their initial mission statement and name that very evening. I got to be part of that conversation, and together we landed on a name: V.O.I.C.E. — Volunteers Organizing Impact, Community, and Engagement. I think that says it all, really. Week one is in the books, and I feel energized in a way I wasn't sure I'd feel this quickly. There is so much heart in this organization — in the staff, in the board, in the volunteers, in the people who show up week after week because they genuinely believe in what we're doing. I can't wait to keep going. Thank you for the warm welcome. I'm so glad to be here. |
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