Meet
Jessyca
Stoepker
Building Resilient Communities Project Coordinator
jessyca@groundworkcenter.org | (269) 908-8563
As the Building Resilient Communities Project Coordinator, Jessyca works with Groundwork’s food access team to increase the strength and efficiency of the regional food system through our micro-grant investment program. “I work with about a dozen food pantries, schools, farms, and others to help them implement projects with our $2,000-grants and staff support,” she says. Projects can range from a cooler at a farm market to pots and pans at a teen center. “By the end of the project year, we’ll be able to share their success stories and build off that momentum.”
Jessyca sees clear and rewarding connections between her work and personal interests. “My passions for writing and design have been tapped nearly every day in this position,” she says. And the volunteer experiences she gains outside of work—with the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce, advocating for public transit, and other activities—have not only increased her hyperlocal knowledge but have also helped Groundwork solidify partnerships.
What motivates Jessyca is the opportunity to “make real, lasting change, and being able to see the ripple effects across systems, across the different people and organizations we work with,” she says. Because Groundwork approaches problems holistically, the work builds on itself. “I’ve seen 10 Cents a Meal go on to enhance FoodCorps projects, which go on to enhance BRC projects. It’s amazing what happens when we can provide resources and support to a community ready to receive it.”