Conversations with Tim Nistler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Nistler.

Tim, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up outside of Portland, Oregon in a small town. I went to a Mennonite high school and was pretty active in sports and a decent student. After graduation, I went to Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, VA. I had the intention of being a teacher and a coach, but I also had other dreams. In 1992, I moved to Los Angeles to be an actor. For the next 15 or so years, I worked at it while also having a regular job to pay the bills. Eventually, I just had enough of the “low” parts of being struggling acting to keep at it. But I wouldn’t change that part of my life, the ups and down, for anything. During all those years, I did different jobs to pay the bills – worked in telecom (back when there were payphones), for several start-ups, in security at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, and at Trader Joe’s.

At different times during these years, I have had experiences that left their mark on me and finally, when I was in my early 40s, I decided it was time to do something meaningful with the second part of my life. And if it could also be my job, well all the better. I wasn’t exactly sure what, but I began searching for it. One day, I was driving by a place in NW Pasadena that always had people out front. I asked the friends I was with if they knew what the people were waiting for. They told me it was the Food Pantry at Friends In Deed. I did a bit of research and reached out regarding volunteering and started almost immediately.

During the six months, I volunteered, a position opened within Friends In Deed that I wasn’t qualified for (accounting), but I submitted my resume anyway. The Executive Director was kind enough to bring me in for an interview. I knew I could do whatever the job required, but would need some “on the job” training. Of course, they gave the job to someone who was qualified for the position. I kept volunteering and looking for that “meaningful job”. About a month later, the Executive Director asked me if I wanted to run the Food Pantry. I said absolutely and on January 2, 2013 I started a job that I have now held for over a decade – Food Pantry Program Director.

People ask me how I got started in the fight against hunger and food insecurity. My answer is simple – “hunger is stupid”. We can have discussions about hunger around the world, but there is no reason that anyone in the United States should go to bed each night without enough to eat. Especially our children and seniors. It is from this perspective that I have worked to grow our Food Pantry. When I started, I remember how bare the shelves had been. There were times when we would run out of fresh fruits & vegetables and meat/protein. I didn’t want that to continue to happen and I wanted to make sure we could provide our community with healthy food choices. So, I just started saying “yes”. People would call and ask if we wanted to come to pick up donations, I said “yes”. Do you have enough room for these donations? “Yes”, while wondering if I did have room. We would like to bring a group to come tour the Food Pantry after hours. “Yes”, while wanting to also go home. Can you come to speak to our students? “Yes”, thinking it might be hard for me to break away. Friends In Deed has been around for a very long time and we have strong community partners – churches, organizations, businesses, schools, individuals and I worked to strengthen them.

Back when I started here at Friends In Deed, we averaged 226 households per week for the year. We are currently averaging 535 households. Obviously, the pandemic has played a part in why we are seeing so many people. Also, food prices, gas prices, and so many other factors play a part in the numbers we are seeing weekly. Our pantry community ranges in age from mid-20s to mid-90s. The main languages spoken by our community are English, Spanish, and Mandarin, but we are hearing more Armenian, Korean, Arabic, and various Eastern European languages. It is a wonderfully diverse community. Folks can come here for as long as they need food assistance. I know it is hard to ask for help. I certainly don’t like to ask for it, so I can’t imagine what people are feeling when they come to our Food Pantry for the first time. Friends In Deed is an interfaith organization with a mission to provide supportive services to meet basic human needs, so our homeless and at-risk neighbors can rebuild their lives with compassion, connection, and dignity. I want people to feel welcomed and comfortable coming here.

I am surrounded by amazing people. My pantry team is fantastic and the staff at Friends In Deed are some of the most caring people I’ve ever been around. I currently have almost 100 regular volunteers and I am honored to know so many people looking to serve their community. And our pantry community, the folks we serve, are some of the finest folks I know too. Because many people will need to continue to use our services, I’ve known a lot of them for the whole time I’ve been here. I like to tell people that the Food Pantry is made up of three communities. The first community is made up of the people waiting to get their groceries. Many know each from their apartment complexes, from church, the neighborhood. It is not uncommon to see people gathering while waiting in smaller groups. Some from the same background and others that have become friends since coming to Friends In Deed. If people see someone that looks like they are new, they will help them. The second community is made up of the staff and volunteers. We work to get the pantry ready for distribution. Many of the volunteers didn’t know anyone when they first started but now have great friendships. And everyone is working to get food out to the community. The third community is really what makes the Food Pantry great. It is when we open the doors and the two communities come together. Volunteers and staff know the pantry folks by name, know what they like, engage in conversation, laugh, and carry on while they are here.

I am not sure how much more to say or what else you might want to know about how I arrived to where I am now and how we continue to serve our community. Our motto is “doing together what we cannot do alone” and I believe that 100%. I’ve seen kindness and compassion that brings tears to my eyes. When it comes down to it, the people we serve are just like you and I, except they just need a little help and they are always welcome here.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We are seeing numbers that are unprecedented for us. Ten years ago, we averaged 226 households per week. Even as the pandemic started, we only averaged just under 400 households. Now that number is 535. Trying to have enough food for all those folks and a place to store it is extremely challenging. Space is a huge obstacle for me. But we continue to make it work, somehow. I often shake my head and wonder how did we get all of that in such a small space.

We have great partners in the fight against hunger and food insecurity. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has been our main source of food for over 15 years. They do incredible work to help feed LA County and I am grateful for all the food we get from them. Food Forward is another organization that we have been partnering with to help eliminate food waste and fight hunger. The work they do to glean fruit trees and rescue food from Farmer’s Market and more is incredible. And there are places like our local Trader Joe’s that we get weekly donations from. And of course, the community at large that holds food drives and drops by with donations on a regular basis is so helpful.

These organizations, businesses, and community have helped us fight through the obstacles and challenges.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As I mentioned previously, there have been experiences that have helped shape me. I don’t think that a lot of what I learned or experienced when I was younger showed itself then. It has been as I’ve gotten older that I realized that what I experienced thirty years ago is a huge part of who I am. I’m grateful to work for an organization that is dedicated to serving our community in need. I’m proud of what I’ve contributed to the growth of our Food Pantry and how it helps so many people every week. I get to tell people that, of course, they can come get food. Come on in. It’s that simple really.

I believe in working hard and having a good time while doing that. When I walked into the Food Pantry for the first time as a volunteer, I noticed a spirit and energy here. There were volunteers that had already been here for years and they knew so many of the pantry community. There was a spirit of service, compassion, and comradery. I wanted to be a part of that. And so when I took over the program, I wanted that spirit and feeling to continue and I feel like I’ve done that. We have people volunteering with us from all different walks of life and experiences and for us to all be here at this time is pretty awesome. People coming together to serve. I’m proud of all of that. The most important thing we do is make sure everyone gets food. As long as we do that, let’s just enjoy each other’s company and time together. I’m honored to know so many wonderful people.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’m sure I’ve been pretty repetitive in what I’ve written, but the last thing I would say is sometimes you might not find out what your calling is when you’re in your 20s. I was in my early 40s when I found mine. I’ve had a lot of jobs and chased my dreams. I’ve made decisions and some turned out great. Others not so much. But I do my best to learn from it all. I don’t always succeed in that, but I sure try.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.friendsindeedpas.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friendsindeedpas
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsInDeedPas
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV9CCE6xcVVonw42oU-Qurg