Meet Ashley Ampersee: Stocking Love, Dignity, and Hope on Every Shelf

If you stop by the Community Food Network on a Monday morning, there’s a good chance you’ll catch Ashley Ampersee in motion—arms full of groceries, humming along to worship music, and radiating the kind of joy that makes the whole place feel lighter.

Ashley doesn’t just manage shelves. She curates care.

“Putting a smile on someone’s face and having them know I was thinking about them—that’s what inspires me,” Ashley says. “I want our members to feel seen, and this is a small way I can do that.”

And she means it. If a member loves a certain kind of soup or spice, Ashley remembers. If someone’s eyes light up at a favorite snack, she stocks it. Her job might look like sourcing and organizing food, but in her heart, it’s all about making the world a little kinder and showing people they truly matter..

Because for Ashley, food is more than fuel.

“Food is fuel and love,” she says. “We have the opportunity to make people feel cared for and loved. They can bring that love to their family and sustain them.”

It’s that mix—of purpose, prayer, and practical love—that drew Ashley to New Heights in the first place.

“What New Heights does feels like things Jesus directly told us to do: help and serve people who need it,” she explains. “They meet people where they are, show them dignity and love, give them hope and help.”

After walking through a life-altering season, Ashley felt a deep pull toward work that mattered—work that pointed back to God. So when she saw the opening for Community Food Network Manager, she didn’t hesitate.

Her first day confirmed it.

“My coworker and a volunteer prayed for me,” she recalls. “It was so special that God could be part of my work life.”

These days, you’ll find her listening to worship music while stocking shelves, praying for members while she shops for their groceries, and celebrating every moment that God’s love reaches someone through something as simple as a cart full of food.

Oh—and if you didn’t know? Ashley’s also a fine art major. She loves creating anything and everything. Which might explain why she brings a touch of creativity to everything she does—whether it’s organizing shelves, building relationships, or painting joy across the faces of everyone she serves. And she does that with excellence.

Because at the Community Food Network, Ashley’s work isn’t just about food.
It’s about love made visible.