Interview with Former NHCP Member Michelle O’Leary

Why did you chose to serve with NHCP last year?
Many people in my corps last year had applied to the program having no idea where they wanted to serve. It was somewhat the opposite for me, I found out about the Nutrition Educator position at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank first, then applied to NHCP. With a background in teaching, a passion to cook since I was young, and a heart to serve Pittsburgh, the moment I read the job description for Nutrition Educator, I knew it would be a perfect fit.

What site did you serve at last year and what was your position? What were your expectations of the service year?
I served as the Nutrition Educator at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. When starting NHCP, I really expected the service year would be predominantly about my service at my site-- teaching children and adults how to cook healthy and nutritious food with the produce and shelf-stable items that we distribute. However by the end of my service year, I was astonished how much I had connected with the various member sites through cooking demonstrations, optional hours, and service days. I did not walk away from the year having only served at GPCFB, but rather, together as a corps, we served Pittsburgh as a whole.

Can you tell us about a time or experience in which you felt like you got through to a client and saw a behavior or habit change?
Last February during a Kids Cook lesson, we made spaghetti sauce from scratch. Initially, the students were beyond excited to make spaghetti. Every student squealed with delight. However, after I showed the students the raw ingredients such as onions, garlic and basil, they became very precautious. Many students turned up their noses and said, “No way, Miss Michelle I ain’t trying that.” Soon the delightful smell of onions and garlic sizzling in the pan wafted through the room. I got a few more spaghetti supporters on my team, but if that didn’t do it, the basil step did. I had all the students tear the leaves themselves to add into our spaghetti sauce. Everyone loved getting to add something that they personally touched into the big pot of sauce. When the pasta was finally done, there was not one kid in that class that didn’t come back for seconds, or thirds!

Where have you been working since the end of your service year? What are some of your position duties?
I currently work at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank as their Produce Education Coordinator. I am responsible for creating new and engaging nutrition publications for the various produce items that we distribute here at the Food Bank. Our various nutrition publications are distributed through our agencies, special distributions and sourcing programs, and cooking demonstrations with our new NHCP members.

How has your year with NHCP helped you in your current position?
Not only did my year of NHCP familiarize myself with the organization that I now work for, but also provided me connections with the families that we serve here at the Food Bank. Almost every day last year, I was out in the Pittsburgh community, teaching cooking and nutrition classes. As the Produce Education Coordinator, I am more in the production stage of materials rather than the implementation. Having the experiences and interactions with families last year, equips me daily with the necessary perspective to create useful and relevant materials.

Do you have any advice for current and future NHCP members?
Don’t give up! You are each doing big things for this great city and its people. It is so easy to get bogged down by the mundane tasks, especially the frustratingly difficult ones. Last year, I found myself just pausing for a moment and taking a step back to see the bigger picture. Even if you don’t see it every day, you are making an impact and Pittsburgh is making an impact on you.