Alameda Food Bank Names Volunteer of the Year

From an Alameda Food Bank press release:

The recognized its volunteer of the year at its annual volunteer dinner on Aug. 9.

Alamedan Virginia Darrow was honored for her leadership of the Food Bank’s Perishable Food Program which is held at Christ Episcopal Church each Tuesday. She and her team of approximately 20 other volunteers have seen the number of clients participating in the program jump from an average of 50 to over 120 per week since 2007. 

Virginia thanked her “wonderful” team of fellow volunteers, likening them to a close family. Her team and fellow parishioners have consistently gone the extra mile to help those families in need.

Virginia has also acted as a fantastic liaison between the Food Bank and Christ Episcopal Church, ensuring continued use of the church facilities and very generous financial support from the congregation.

A special recognition also goes out to Jo and Ken Crowley as they “retire” from their long and dedicated service since 1984, starting as Red Cross volunteers when the Red Cross ran what would later become the Food Bank’s Perishable Food Program. The couple sorted and cleaned all kinds of items from the daily Safeway donation pickups, allowing the food bank to provide a wide variety of food and non-food items as part of the Perishable Food Program. 

Several other volunteers were honored for reaching important volunteering milestones:

• 5 years: Tina Thelen, Sharron Tymn and Jerry Hsiao
• 10 years: Mon Yet Chow, Alice Cleveland and David McGaffey
• 15 years: Phil Holt

Use of the Harbor Bay Community Center was donated for the event, local musician John Nichols provided enjoyable live entertainment and John Thiel, owner of Alameda’s Pappo Restaurant and a member of the food bank’s board, prepared and served the food and refreshment along with the help of other board members.

The Alameda Food Bank is also celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The Food Bank serves more than 2,300 Alameda households, with almost 5600 family members, each year. More than 220 volunteers work seven days a week to pick up, sort and distribute food at the Food Bank’s Thau Way facility, its Alameda Point warehouse and Christ Episcopal Church. 

For information on how to volunteer at, donate to, or receive service from the Alameda Food Bank, visit its website at http://www.alamedafoodbank.org or call (510) 523-5850.

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