Written by Jan Nigro, March 2026

Originally from Locust Valley, New York, Lita moved to the area in 1985. During her career in early childhood education, she worked at Ithaca Community Child Care Center, The Child Development Council, Head Start and ICSD.

Lita first became aware of FDN while working at South Hill School seeing FDN food go to South Hill families. Once she retired, she learned more from her friend and FDN volunteer, Kate Dickin, and decided to get more involved. An informative volunteer training with FDN’s Coordinator, Meaghan, got her started responding to various impromptu requests. She now has a semi-regular route picking up extra pastries from Gimme Community Corners and taking them to the Ithaca Kitchen Cupboard, OAR, the Code Blue Shelter, or Mutual Aid Tompkins Food Sharing Cabinets.

Lita also volunteers at the IHS Community Market often picking up at FDN on the way there. They love the fresh produce and baked goods!

Her FDN tasks are not limited to picking up food. Responding to a request from Meaghan, Lita and others, armed with markers, scissors and glue sticks, created handmade Thank You posters for FDN collaborators. “Now it’s fun to visit some of those places and see our Thank Yous posted on their bulletin boards!”

Lita is also interested in ways to promote FDN’s good work. To that end, she has recently met with a group of FDN folks to look at ways of expanding FDN’s exposure in the community. Something as easy as having FDN “stories” or blurbs that could be easily shared on one’s own social media. Stay tuned!

Like all FDN volunteers, the idea of getting fresh food and taking it to people who need it appeals to her, as does keeping food out of the landfill and obviously reducing waste. “It’s such an amazing network at FDN. I envision a daily spider web of activity of folks picking up food not being eaten where it is and delivering it to where it can provide yummy, nutritious food to anyone who might need it. It is wonderful that so many groups collaborate with FDN to make this happen. I like being part of that whole network.”

One memorable FDN experience… “Last spring I picked up 12 cases of ramen from a student at Cornell. The student had become an ambassador for a ramen company based in Thailand. He had a lot left over and he was leaving Ithaca in 5 hours! I was grateful that he had learned about FDN and made the effort to get it picked up. It easily could have ended up in the landfill. Instead it fed lots of people!”

Outside of FDN, Lita enjoys playing pickleball, reading, visiting breweries with her husband, gardening, taking walks and hikes around Ithaca, and traveling, which sometimes involves hiking and biking! “I enjoy all 4 seasons we experience in Ithaca, but I also like to get a little more sun in the winter, so you’ll find me boarding a plane to Florida a few times!”

Photo Caption: Lita delivers pastries from Gimme to Joan Barber at the Ithaca Kitchen Cupboard.