Sarah Lange, you will be missed!

A few words from Maeve Rafferty, Program Coordinator....

Have you been on our staff bio page?  If so, you’ve probably noticed that along with having some difficult to pronounce first and last names, there are just a few of us here at Brainfood.   Which means our interns who come to us from a whole slew of interests and expertise, get put to work -because we need them.  They are invaluable members of our team. 
It also means that on any given day; you could wear a lot of different hats.  Which I have to admit, I really love. 

Some days you’re a farmer; planting seeds, pulling weeds, harvesting kale and building trellises for peas to grow on.
Some days you’re an event planner; chopping veggies, lugging a cart of supplies up and down escalators and on the metro, to turn a classroom into a kitchen, for an MVP workshop.  
Most days you’re a coach; encouraging each student to try again when a recipe didn’t turn out quite like they hoped and requesting their best, each and every day, because deep down you know, how great they are.  
Other days you’re a mentor; listening to stories about tough days at school, conflicts with friends or the stresses of waiting to hear back from that college they applied too. 

No matter what day it is, it’s essential to be ready to wear each hat, maybe a few at once, so that each little moment with a student becomes a really big moment.  Sarah Lange wore all these hats and so many more, always with a smile, an eagerness to learn, and courage to welcome the new and unfamiliar. 

Though what I think I’ll miss most is her willingness to help, to lend a hand, before it was even asked. 

Because sometimes when you get used to wearing all these  different hats, there comes this silly thought… that maybe, if I just work a little harder and a little longer, then by the end of the day, I’ll get it all done.   All those boxes on my “to do” list will be checked.   
Right?  Nope.

Because the truth is, we aren’t meant to do it all on our own.   Some people might even do it better. 

Some people, like Sarah Lange, with her wonderful perspective and insight, could solve problems, meet student’s needs, put the puzzle pieces together in a way I couldn’t on my own.   Thank you for that Sarah.

While your internship has come to an end (insert tear here) you will forever be a member of our team lady. Thank you for being such a joy to work with! 

A few words from Carina Gervacio, Program Director....

Whether it was on the Hill or in a cubical downtown, whether you had to wear a suit or start carrying an ID badge, whether you braved the morning rush hour on Metro or found the best bike route to get there, working your first internship in D.C. is a rite of passage that’s not soon forgotten. 

While we don’t require interns to wear a suit (obviously) or send them off to buy a round of coffee for upper management (not cool), working at Brainfood does require a certain kind of stalwartness, a sense of humor, and an appreciation for the many places, tasks, and situations that go along with youth work.  Sarah Lange brought all these strengths and more when she joined us this spring, and it’s hard to imagine a better person to take on the task of supporting our Youth Garden and the Community MVPs program while simultaneously pulling together health resources and our yearly cookbook. Oh yeah, and she managed to find time to assist with Kitchen All Stars and create our first ever detailed cumulative report on Community MVPs workshops. 

But office accomplishments aside, where Sarah really excelled was effortlessly switching roles to help wherever she was needed.  Researching vegetable prices and veggie chip recipes?  She was on it.  Building relationships with persnickety students?  Easy.  Being a poster child for a friendlier approach to veganism?  No sweat.  Removing a smelly rodent from the Youth Garden?  Even the most brazen of K St. rats was no match for our Sarah. 

So it is with much appreciation and respect that we bid Sarah a farewell this May.  Note to food and community health organizations: she’s off to John’s Hopkins, and we’d recommend keeping your eye out for her.  Don’t let the oversized Brainfood chef coat fool you – she’s a pint-sized power house in the best possible way.