FORT SALONGA, NY — A Fort Salonga woman is using her gardening prowess to take her volunteering at Long Island Cares to the next level.

Tia Muller, 52, transitioned from a career at AMC Networks in New York City to a non-commercial life of homesteading during the coronavirus pandemic, helping the Harry Chapin Food Bank in the process.

Muller donates homegrown fruits and vegetables to those battling food insecurity while spending additional time and money at Long Island Cares, a non-profit based in Hauppauge.

Muller and her husband stayed home in Manhattan like many others in 2020, preventing them from getting out much. Her husband owned a piece of property in Fort Salonga, so the two decided to move and live on the farmland full-time.

“I was not going to do a commute again,” Muller told Patch. “I put in my many years of working in corporate America. And so I said, ‘you know what? We’re going to live here on Long Island.’ I have a beautiful vegetable garden that takes up a lot of time.”

Muller raises chickens for an egg supply while she grows other fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, cabbages, green beans, cucumbers, eggplants, kale, apples, peaches, blackberries, garlic, onions, carrots and beets. She strives to add something new each year.

Muller is currently taking beekeeping courses, and, by next year, she hopes to have her own honey-producing hives.

“I just like being self-sufficient,” she said. “That’s who I am, and that’s why it’s such a great fit for me to work at the food pantry. I think it’s more than just giving food out. It really is like being a resource for people. Whether someone has a question about nutrition, health and wellness or employment, we can be that friend to someone when they’re going through a rough patch and really listen to what the client’s needs are and point them in the right direction. We’re always giving out information.”

Muller originally volunteered at the Hauppauge warehouse before someone told her she should work at the more convenient Huntington Station satellite. Muller called it a “perfect fit.”

“I really enjoy the people who I work with. It’s such a diverse group of people of all ages. One day, I’ll be working with a 25-year-old and the next day, it’s a 75-year-old, so I’m always learning new things. I really enjoy serving the community.”

Muller feeds her family with the food she grows and donates much of the rest to the food pantry. She does not sell the fruits of her labor.

She encouraged others to volunteer at Long Island Cares, even if it’s for a few hours a week. Muller called giving back “infectious,” as her fellow volunteers have “such a passion for life.”

“You’re going to leave there smiling … I’d like to see all my friends and family do that kind of work. We need more kindness in the world.”

Muller wants people to have access to the most nutritious foods, she said.

“Sometimes, you think, ‘Oh, going to the food pantry, there are a lot of canned vegetables, and some soups have high sodium,’” she said. “I think it’s such a better experience all around when you’re able to hand someone a bag of apples or zucchini. I love that. Working alongside people to spread the word that we do need more fresh fruits and vegetables. That’s sort of my message. Keeping it organic.”

Muller feels like a personal shopper when she takes food bank clients through a pantry, she said.

Muller goes to the Huntington Station satellite food pantry every Friday afternoon, said Harrison Smith, coordinator of the pantry. And she always shows up with a compassionate attitude and intent to help the community.

“Since she has started volunteering, Tia has developed meaningful relationships with clients and is on a first name basis with some clients,” Smith said. “I have seen the effect this has, and it brightens the client’s day and makes their pantry visit special. During the summer, she goes above and beyond by donating fresh produce from her garden and distributes that food to our clientele. Most of the clients using the pantry always prefer fresh produce over the non-perishable canned products, so many people are happy to have the produce to choose from. Tia is an amazing volunteer that is passionate about helping others, it is great to have her volunteering for this organization.”

Muller is not employed full-time, but doesn’t consider herself retired, either.

“I feel like I’m too young to use that word,” she said. “People look at me like I’m crazy, but I made some smart real-estate decisions in my life when I was much younger … I’ll probably look for another full-time job in the future, but when you’re living the way I am right now, it’s a lot of hands-on work.”

People can donate to Long Island Cares or seek information on help from its food banks through its website.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America since 2020 to help raise awareness in our local communities of hunger, a persistent national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks and 60,000 local meals programs across the country, estimates that nearly 34 million people, including 9 million children — about 1 in 6 Americans — are living with food insecurity. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.