A Note of Gratitude from Wendy Jeffries

As I leave TasteWise Kids, I want to take a moment to share my gratitude with the TasteWise Kids community. Whether you are a long time partner or a new farmer, a volunteer or reader of our Tasting Notes newsletter, a grandparent or teacher who uses our activities, your involvement has helped to shape TasteWise Kids into the successful organization it is today.

TasteWise Kids has grown so much in every way since we started it in December of 2015. I have vivid memories of working with the founding group to decide what the name of this organization should be and how excited we were to get our first logo. We have grown from being known exclusively for our Days of Taste program for 4th graders to providing quality food literacy programs in multiple formats and for multiple grades. We have grown from a staff of one to a team of five. We have grown our revenue streams from mostly grants to include additional funding sources such as fee-for-service programming, corporate partnerships and more.

It’s truly been an honor to be the founding Executive Director and leader of this organization. I have learned so much about how to build an organization, how to fundraise (and that I don’t hate it), how to build a culture based on creativity, respect, and inclusion, and what it means to be the kind of leader I want to be. I’ve also learned a lot about the amazing food scene here in Baltimore – literally from farm to table! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time over the years to share your expertise, ideas, and constructive criticism.

Leaving TasteWise Kids is really hard. While I know it’s my time to do other things professionally, I will miss this team, this Board, this work, and the impact we are having in Baltimore and beyond.

I look forward to staying connected with the TasteWise Kids community as a volunteer and to hear all about what comes next for this organization, as I know great things are ahead.

Many people have asked what is next for me. I will be enjoying summer and time with my family. I also will use this time to explore and learn. After 23 years of being on the frontlines of creating social change, I’m ready to support individuals, teams, and organizations who are creating meaningful change. This work could take many forms but what I do know is that I’ll be putting my values of innovation, respect, and inclusion front and center.

From the bottom of my heart,
Happy Tasting!
Wendy