Gabe Eckler is the Westminster Pantry Coordinator at Westminster Neighborhood services through the Indy Hunger Network. Gabe was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and lives in a small town about 30 minutes east called Greenfield. He graduated from DePauw University with a degree in History, and received his bachelor’s in May of 2021. Though new to the area of food distribution and security, Gabe is eager to learn more about it and help people in his community. Following his work with the VISTA program, Gabe desires to go on to get his Master’s degree in East Asian studies along with his MBA. Gabe enjoys playing piano, reading, outdoor activities such as fishing, and learning languages.

Cassandra Goodman is the Nutrition and Food Security VISTA Summer Associate at CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions. She grew up in the small town of Butler, Indiana in northeast Indiana. In May 2020, she graduated from Purdue University with her degree in Global Studies and a certificate in Public Policy. After graduation, she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education working to improve postsecondary enrollment rates in rural counties across the state through outreach. During her term as a VISTA summer associate, she hopes to continue serving rural communities in the central Indiana region. Cassandra plans to start her Master’s in Public Affairs with a focus on public management at Indiana University this fall.

Thomas Lageveen is the Community Compass Coordinator for the Indy Hunger Network. He grew up in West Lafayette, Indiana and graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in film and video in 2014. Recently, Thomas has completed a certification program in Informatics through Ivy Tech. Combining his experience in the food service industry with his recent training in information systems and data management, he hopes to contribute in a meaningful way to the effort to decrease food insecurity in Indianapolis. A service mentality has been a part of Thomas’ work for several years, and he is excited to apply that in a new dimension in his role with the Indy Hunger Network. After his term with the IHN through AmeriCorps, he hopes to continue his training in the field of information technology and find work in which he can use that training to make a positive impact.

Grant Moran is the Senior Health and Wellness VISTA at CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions through Indy Hunger Network. An Indy local, he lives in Zionsville, Indiana. Grant studied Spanish and Letters at the University of Oklahoma and received a bachelor’s in July 2020. While in university, Grant volunteered as an interpreter at a low-income medical clinic and did community outreach & educational programming for the university’s Gender and Equality Center. These experiences fostered an interest in public service that continues to this day. After AmeriCorps, Grant hopes to continue participating in nonprofit work.

Ephraim Sy Palmero is the VISTA Program Officer at the Indy Food Council. While originally from the Philippines, his parents were humanitarian doctors that led him to spend his childhood in Liberia and the Gambia, West Africa. At 17 years old, he was one of the youngest in his class from Tidewater Community College, to receive an Associates in Criminal Justice. In May 2020, he received his undergraduate degree from Andrews University in Political Science, with minors in Behavioral Science and Global Studies. Currently he is pursuing a Masters in Community and International Development at Andrews while starting his VISTA term. Throughout his academic journey, Ephraim has participated in various leadership positions from student government, to honor societies and associations. During his last two summers in undergrad, he interned with a INGO in Yemen, where he expanded on his passion for humanitarian development, project management, advocacy, and grant writing. Ephraim is excited to be a part of this VISTA cohort and the Indy Hunger Network to seek better solutions, and to build capacity for a more sustainable food system. In his free time, he enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, playing basketball, and travel photography.

Alyssa Parker is the Rural Senior Home Delivery Program VISTA with Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. She is originally from Vermont and received an undergrad degree from West Virginia University. During this time, she became more aware of environmental issues and food insecurity. She decided, however, to join the military. While in the military she was a Food Inspector learning not only food safety issues, but observing where all the food was coming from. After the military she studied Soil and Crop Science with a minor in Environmental Affairs at Colorado State University. Her hope was to focus on making food more sustainable, but she came to the conclusion that the infrastructure of the food system is broken. There needs to be a way to get food to the people who need it most. This is why she is excited to use the networking skills she gained while in the military for this VISTA position. She hopes to gain more experience in networking and community outreach. Afterwards she hopes to attend a Masters Program focusing on food and nutrition policy.

Angela Richie is the Indy Hunger Network Food Assistance Programs VISTA. Angela grew up in Anderson, IN and received her undergraduate degree from Anderson University in Youth Ministries. Angela began volunteering at food pantries as a teenager, and has since served by cooking meals, organizing donations, and meeting with recipients at multiple pantries in central Indiana. Angela is passionate about imagining the ways food insecurity can be addressed through collaborative community engagement and by supporting local initiatives. She is eager to gain further experience networking and facilitating training during her VISTA term. Following her year at IHN, Angela hopes to pursue a higher degree in the social sciences. Angela spends her free time teaching knitting classes at Plainfield Correctional Facility, co-hosting a storytelling podcast, getting her hands dirty in her garden, and racking up miles by backpacking, hiking, and kayaking.