Q: How did you first get involved with the West Valley Food Pantry as a volunteer, and what do you remember about your very first shift?

A: I first started volunteering here in April 2020. I was getting stir crazy sitting in my house all day because of the COVID-19 lockdown and needed a break. I did a quick Google search, found the West Valley Food Pantry, signed up as a volunteer, and was called by Lily shortly thereafter. My first job was helping check-in clients. In those days, every client who drove into the Pantry needed to fill out a paper form with their information and we would look in a simple database to find them and determine their eligibility. If they weren’t a client, we would sign them up on the spot.

Q: Over your six years here, the Pantry has been through a pandemic, a capital campaign, a new building, and an Executive Director leadership transition. What moment from your time here, as a volunteer or as staff, will stay with you most?

A: There are so many moments that have stayed with me, but the one I think about most often happened in 2020. I was pre-checking clients on the street when I spotted an adorable dog and went over to say hello. The client told me they had been feeling lonely at home, so they went to a local animal shelter and asked which dog had been there the longest. The shelter introduced them to a dog who had been waiting for a home for YEARS, and they decided to adopt them.

As we continued talking, the client shared that they had spent the past 25 years working as a stage manager for major touring Broadway productions. They had never gone a day without work, but suddenly, because of the lockdown, they found themselves unemployed and needing help putting food on the table.

That conversation has stayed with me. Having spent my career in the entertainment industry, I felt a personal connection to their story. It was a powerful reminder that food insecurity can affect anyone, at any time, regardless of their background or circumstances. You never know what someone is going through, and any one of us could find ourselves in a position where we need the Pantry.

Q: What accomplishment from your year as Volunteer & Development Manager are you proudest of?

A: This question makes me emotional because it reminds me just how much I am going to miss this place. What I am proudest of is the new volunteers I have brought into the Pantry.

The Pantry truly is my happy place. Being able to share that feeling with others, welcoming them into this community, and watching them become part of something so meaningful has been incredibly rewarding. Knowing that I have helped bring more people into the West Valley Food Pantry family reminds me that the spirit of this place will continue through them.

I want to recognize every volunteer here at West Valley Food Pantry. Each of them has become part of what makes this place so special to me.

Q: What advice would you give to a brand-new volunteer walking in for the first time?

A: Come in with an open mind and let go of any preconceived notions about what food insecurity looks like. Someone could be driving a nice car or have a job and still need the Pantry. I said it above and I will say it again, at ANY point, ANYONE could find themselves in a position where they need the Pantry. Approach everyone with compassion, kindness, and dignity. You may never know someone's full story, but you can always make them feel welcome.

Q: What’s next for you, and how do you hope to stay connected to the Pantry community?

A: I am returning to my career in the entertainment industry, but my time at the West Valley Food Pantry is not ending here. This community has become such a very important part of my life, and I cannot imagine walking away from it.

I plan to come back and volunteer whenever I can, continue donating, spread the word about the Pantry's incredible work, and share its social media posts to help reach more people who may need our services or want to get involved. And next year, I will be back in a different capacity: building a sculpture for Canstruction! The West Valley Food Pantry has become part of who I am, and I will always find ways to support its mission.

Q: And finally, the hardest question of them all: if you could leave behind one food item in the Pantry as your “farewell gift” to the team, what would it be and why?

A: That’s easy. I would leave behind donuts. Everyone at the Pantry loves and eats donuts. P.S. If you are ever looking for something nice to do for the Pantry staff, send them donuts or another sweet treat.