Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Cooper Nowicki.
Hi Christine, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The Sandwich Project started with something simple and deeply human. Making sandwiches for people who needed them. In 2020, a small group of neighbors began preparing fresh sandwiches at home and delivering them to local organizations serving people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity across Metro Atlanta. What began as a grassroots response to an urgent need quickly revealed something bigger. There was a consistent gap in access to fresh, ready to eat food, and there were people everywhere who wanted to help if given a clear, doable way to do so.
I first got involved as a volunteer, making sandwiches, and helping with sandwich making events. Like many of our volunteers, I was drawn in by how accessible the model was and how immediate the impact felt. In early 2025, during a career transition, I began helping with several projects focused on coordination, systems, and organizational growth. That work naturally expanded, eventually leading me into a leadership role and now serving as Executive Director.
Today, The Sandwich Project mobilizes hundreds of volunteer groups each year and provides thousands of fresh sandwiches every week to partners across the region. We have grown intentionally, staying rooted in community while building the infrastructure needed to operate at scale. For me, this journey has been shaped by my background in public health and program management, but also by a belief that community care does not have to be complicated to be meaningful.
What keeps me here is the combination of simplicity and impact. Neighbors helping neighbors in a tangible way. The Sandwich Project is proof that when you make it easy for people to show up, they will, and together, small actions can add up to something powerful. I’m honored to work alongside an incredible group of co-founders, board members, and volunteers whose dedication and care are what truly keep the organization going.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it hasn’t been a completely smooth road, but the challenges have been important lessons along the way.
Like many grassroots efforts, The Sandwich Project grew quickly in response to need. As we expanded, we had to build systems and infrastructure while continuing to rely on volunteers and community partners. Balancing growth with food safety, consistency, and reliability for the organizations we serve has required ongoing learning and adaptation.
The need we are responding to continues to increase year after year. Rising food costs have affected both the communities we serve and the organizations working to meet that need, and uncertainty in funding across the food insecurity landscape has created challenges for many nonprofits. Demand often outpaces capacity, which means making thoughtful decisions about pace, sustainability, and where we can be most effective.
On a personal level, I stepped into the Executive Director role in late September and was immediately navigating multiple pressures at once: responding to cuts to food assistance programs, coordinating end-of-year giving campaigns, and supporting what is consistently our busiest season for sandwich-making events. It was a clear reminder that this work rarely slows down, and that leadership often means learning quickly while staying grounded in the mission.
What has made the road navigable is our willingness to learn, adapt, and be honest about what is and isn’t working. Each challenge has reinforced the importance of clear communication, shared responsibility, and investing in people. Those experiences have helped us grow into a stronger, more resilient organization that can continue to show up for our neighbors.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Sandwich Project is a community-powered nonprofit that provides fresh, ready-to-eat sandwiches to neighbors experiencing food insecurity across Metro Atlanta. We specialize in mobilizing everyday people, families, schools, faith groups, and companies to take part in a simple but meaningful act of care: making sandwiches that are distributed almost immediately to partner organizations serving our neighbors.
What sets us apart is our model. We focus on fresh food rather than shelf-stable items, and we meet people where they are by making volunteering accessible and doable. Anyone can host or join a sandwich-making event, whether it’s in a home, school, office, or community space. That simplicity allows us to respond quickly, scale efficiently, and stay deeply connected to the communities we serve.
A core part of our work is also educating and inspiring young people. Through school groups, student clubs, and family-led events, we help kids understand food insecurity in their own communities and empower them to take meaningful action at any age.
We are known for our strong partnerships. On one side, we work closely with recipient organizations to understand their needs and deliver reliably each week. On the other, we invest in volunteers by providing clear guidance, safety standards, and support so they can show up with confidence. That trust on both ends is what keeps the model working.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of how grounded and human our organization feels, even as we’ve grown. Our brand reflects care, dignity, and shared responsibility. We are not about charity from a distance, but about neighbors helping neighbors in tangible ways. The Sandwich Project invites people into the work without judgment or barriers, and that openness is at the core of who we are.
What I want readers to know is that food insecurity exists in every community, and responding to it doesn’t require something complicated or overwhelming. It can start with something as simple as making a sandwich. When people come together consistently around small actions, the impact can be extraordinary.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up as the oldest of seven, my personality was shaped early by a strong sense of responsibility. I was a rule-follower, dependable, and very driven academically, often taking on leadership roles both at home and at school. I loved history and was an avid reader, and I was always curious about how people, systems, and communities work.
Dance was a huge part of my life from a young age through early adulthood. I trained in studios and danced with my school’s dance team and modern programs from ages four through twenty-two, including attending the Governor’s School of North Carolina for dance. That experience taught me discipline, commitment, and teamwork, while also giving me a deep appreciation for creativity, expression, and the arts. Having that balance between structure and creative outlets has stayed with me.
I had a smaller but close-knit group of friends and teachers. Adults often described me as smart, dependable, and a strong public speaker. Looking back, I can see how those early traits, responsibility, curiosity, creativity, and comfort communicating, continue to show up in my work today. I’ve always been someone who values both thoughtful leadership and creative expression, and that combination has shaped how I approach my career and community work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thesandwichproject.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesandwichprojectatl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesandwichprojectATL/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-sandwich-project/
Image Credits
Volunteers making sandwiches, NCL volunteers making sandwiches, Luz (The Sandwich Project) delivering sandwiches.
