Building Skills, Fighting Food Insecurity

Volunteer Spotlight Alena Saladin: Building Skills, Fighting Food Insecurity

As the Capacity Building Associate at People In Need, Inc. (PIN), ShareCorps VISTA Alena Saladin has found an opportunity to combine her professional skills with a growing passion for fighting food insecurity.

With a background in public relations and journalism, Alena has put her communication skills to work through grant writing, fundraising, event planning, and donor relations. Since beginning service, she has applied for more than 15 grants and sponsorships while also contributing to donor recognition projects, personal impact reports, and fundraising efforts.

“I spend most of my time researching and applying for grants, which I really enjoy,” Alena says.

Recently, that work led to an exciting milestone: her first successful grant application.

“It was very exciting seeing something I wrote and worked hard on pay off,” she says.

Alena also helped plan PIN’s 45th Birthday Party and ribbon cutting, her first major event in the role. She facilitated the invitation list, catering, setup, decorating, and other preparations for the celebration, which welcomed around 100 attendees. Hearing positive feedback from volunteers and guests further reinforced her confidence in her abilities.

“These achievements have helped me learn a lot of valuable lessons and helped me gain a lot of confidence in my skills,” she says.

Service has also taught Alena to embrace the unpredictable nature of nonprofit work. Changing schedules and unexpected challenges took some adjustment, but she has come to appreciate the variety.

“You don’t always know how your day will end when you start it,” she says. “It’s something I’ve learned to really love from this job because no two days are ever the same.”

Through her work, Alena has also gained a deeper understanding of the barriers community members can face when seeking assistance.

“I’m learning so much in this role about solving problems I didn’t realize existed,” she says.

Alena is currently pursuing grant funding for translation and interpretation services for non-English-speaking clients. She is also collaborating with OSU Extension in Delaware County on projects she hopes will continue beyond her service, including recipe cards featuring creative meals made from common pantry staples.

These experiences have helped Alena discover how her skills can contribute to addressing food insecurity and other barriers.

“I’ve always wanted a job where I can help my community and make a difference,” she says. “This position is helping me narrow down how I can use that passion and my skills to make that happen.”

While Alena is still determining her next steps post-service, she hopes to continue working in the nonprofit sector and fighting food insecurity.

“Service like this can really help people like me grow, gain confidence, and learn about themselves and their communities in which they serve.”

Great work this year, Alena!