Reflecting on My AmeriCorps VISTA Year at FISH Food Bank
22 Apr 2026, by in Harvest Blog, Harvest VISTA, FISH, Reflection
Grace Yang
As the Food Rescue Program Coordinator VISTA with FISH Community Food Bank in Ellensburg, Grace is building a food rescue program that increases the amount of fresh foods at the pantry. Grace will coordinate the collaborative efforts of farm and restaurant donors, volunteers, and the staff at FISH to divert still good but unsellable food from landfills into the hands of the community.
As Grace’s first AmeriCorps VISTA term with FISH Food Bank comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at all she has accomplished this year. Over her year of service, Grace expanded FISH’s food rescue program through three key initiatives: farmers market and backyard gleaning, and grocery rescue. Each program targets different stakeholders of Kittitas County’s local food system and is designed to increase the accessibility of nutritious foods throughout the community.
Through a new partnership with the Ellensburg Farmers Market, Grace coordinated weekly collections of post-market surplus foods directly from farmers, helping recover 4,473 pounds of fresh produce during the 2025 season. This new gleaning program brought in more than 40 types of fresh fruits and vegetables for FISH clients in need.
Grace designed and launched the Backyard Gleaning Program to fill a long-standing gap in Ellensburg’s local food system and help residents share the abundance from their gardens and fruit trees. For years, backyard growers had asked FISH for help harvesting surplus produce, but the organization lacked capacity to coordinate these efforts. This single-year pilot recovered 2,412 pounds of locally grown, nutritious fruit. Numbers aside, the backyard gleaning program had other benefits. It connected community members to their food system and brought joy to property owners as they saw their fruit go to those in need rather than left to decompose back into the Earth.
Grace revitalized FISH’s grocery rescue program and expanded its outreach efforts, demonstrating the social benefits to store managers while reducing financial burdens and strengthening their brand reputation. Altogether, her work recovered 767 pounds of food for FISH and deepened the organization’s partnerships with local businesses.
These achievements would not be possible without the dedication of more than 10 volunteers and dozens of food donors. Recurring volunteers like Josue, Angelina, Jeff, Vicki, and farm donors such as Dagdagan Farms, Liberty Farms, and Michael’s Garden, were a huge help in moving food from stops, backyards, and the farmers market into the pantry. Throughout her service term, Grace strengthened community connections, reduced food waste, and built a more resilient food system for the Kittitias County community.