AmeriCorps Featured Members - Kelsey & Hannah
Kelsey Niezgodski and Hannah Bueno are members of MACOG’s first AmeriCorps cohort serving at Green Bridge Growers. Both members are serving this summer, cultivating organic produce from seeds to harvest and then packaging the nutritious produce for delivery to the Michiana community.
"This opportunity with AmeriCorps has allowed me to serve alongside the amazing team at Green Bridge Growers, ensuring food security for people in the Michiana community and job creation for people on the autism spectrum.”
Kelsey Niezgodski
Why did you select Green Bridge Growers as your AmeriCorps service site?
I selected Green Bridge Growers because I had an interest in learning more about sustainable agriculture and organic farming.
What AmeriCorps activities have been most meaningful to you? / What project/event has been most meaningful to you?
It has been very meaningful delivering the harvested produce to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana and having the food weighed there. It is wonderful to know that members of our community are going to be eating the healthy and organic produce grown at Green Bridge Growers.
What continues to inspire you to serve in this role?
Jan from Green Bridge Growers constantly inspires me to serve in this role. Her passion is contagious, and I appreciate the time she gives to us to explain the many methods and techniques of successful sustainable agriculture.
“GBG is such a wonderful, supportive, and fun environment and I’m so excited for the opportunity to return.”
Hannah Bueno
Why did you select Green Bridge Growers as your AmeriCorps service site?
I had previously interned at Green Bridge Growers [four years ago] and jumped at the opportunity to return, this time as an AmeriCorps service member.
What AmeriCorps activities have been most meaningful to you? / What project/event has been most meaningful to you?
I absolutely love the variety of tasks at Green Bridge Growers. It’s not possible to be bored on the farm! I enjoy serving alongside my fellow AmeriCorps member Kelsey and the rest of the team at GBG.
How has service in the AmeriCorps program at MACOG and living in our region impacted your career aspirations?
Being a service member has been very fun and rewarding. Sustainability is a very broad topic and it can be hard to pick a specific area to focus your interests on. Although I knew I was interested in sustainable food systems, living in the region and serving as an AmeriCorps member at Green Bridge Growers has helped to reaffirm that sustainable food systems are something I want to be involved with in some capacity for the rest of my life.
What continues to inspire you to serve in this role?
The environment Jan has fostered at Green Bridge Growers is truly one of the most wonderful and supportive environments I have ever been in. It has been such a positive experience serving at Green Bridge Growers and knowing that my site leader takes an interest in not just what needs to be done, but the people doing it as well.
