Feeding My Soul: From Luxury Rentals in Paris to a Non-Profit Farm Feeding the Hungry in Maine -Takeaways

By Andrea Young on August 12, 2022

We’re grateful to Erica Berman for speaking at our August Empower Women event. Erica, Founder of Veggies to Table, a non-profit farm in Maine that grows and donates quality organic produce and flowers to locals experiencing food insecurity. Erica shared her experiences living in Paris and Italy and what led her to leave Europe for farm life in Maine. She also talked about her passion for helping those in need and why it is never too late to change your direction in life.

Create Mental Space

After 20 years in Paris running successful businesses and a cultural blog, Erica and her husband, Alain, decided it was time for a change. After meeting another couple who owned a grow-to-donate farm, they became inspired to start Veggies to Table. Having a passion for food, they wanted to help those experiencing hunger gain access to healthy, quality organic food.

Making a Shift

When you have been in the same career for many years, you may feel burnt out, unfulfilled, or want to try something new. So how do you make a shift in a new direction? Ericas’ advice was to create mental space. If you feel like you want to make a change, get rid of those things that do not bring you joy. It may be a job, an unhealthy relationship or even chores. Whatever it is you can eliminate to free up your time and mental load, get rid of it. Erica also talked about the importance of planning. They spent a lot of time making sure that this was the right decision and that they would be able to support this life change financially.

Helping Those in need

Erica and her husband, with help from volunteers, have decreased food insecurity throughout their community. They also have a strong passion for education. Teaching others how to grow, preserve and prepare healthy foods can help reach more of those in need.

Ways to Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved with organizations you might not realize. It’s a good idea to reach out to the non-profit to see where you can help.

Serving in the community- Non-profits are in need of volunteers at pantries, soup kitchens, events, etc.

Volunteering your skills- Many people don’t often realize that non-profit organizations need help with the “behind the scenes” stuff. If you cannot volunteer your time in person, you may want to offer your skills instead. This could be in the form of administrative work, grant writing, marketing or book-keeping.

Financially- Organizations rely on financial contributions and grants. Anything you would be able to contribute would help.

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