Appreciating Local Pantry Volunteers

What’s in your garage? On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Our Daily Bread Food Pantry (ODBFP) honored its volunteers inside Steve Garske’s dream garage. Just like some of the cars in the Garske collection, the average ODBFP volunteer has rare qualities, comes in a limited edition series, and rises in value the longer you keep them. It is daunting to put a figure on the skills the ODBFP volunteers possess, and according to Evelyn Rossetti-Ryan, Executive Director for ODBFP, “The value of each volunteer is priceless, and it’s a fitting location to celebrate the volunteers and tell them that ‘We Appreciate You.”

About 50 volunteers and their spouses attended the appreciation gathering, and they all had one thing in common - that incalculable quality of passion and dedication. Overall, the number of volunteers in 2025 swelled to about 300 added Rossetti-Ryan.

The food pantry will celebrate 10 years in January 2026, and it all started nine years ago with five caring, compassionate, and dedicated women who came together to address hunger in our community. In our first year, ODBFP fed 820 families, and in 2024, the Food Pantry fed over 80,000 families, according to Rossetti-Ryan.

ODBFP is looking forward to celebrating its 10th birthday in its new building on 1818 San Marco Road. There was an update on the San Marco Road location, too. “There is steady progress on the construction site, and the electrical team is hard at work pulling circuits and completing rough-ins for the drive-thru ceiling and new addition, ensuring all necessary wiring is in place. Another milestone was the start of the storm drain installation, a crucial component in managing site drainage and preventing water damage.”

As honorary campaign co-chair, Pat Kaufman said, “We have a life motto best described by the Gospel of Luke 12:48 – ‘and from the one who has much, much will be expected.’ With our blessings come a responsibility to give back and uplift those who are less fortunate.”

Board and campaign chair Allyson Richard added, “We are fortunate to live in this wonderful community. But you don’t have to look far to see there are real needs among many groups, including those working hard to make ends meet. We serve all who come with dignity, respect, and love.”

Thanks goes to Steve Garske for showing off his amazing cars and car memorabilia – it was more like a museum! Where can you find a 1933 Ford Sedan or a red 1964 Malibu SS Convertible and for a more recent model, a 2016 McLaren, which is one of 500 Spiders made? Jeff Kaczka of Marco found a 1959 El Camino (the year he was born). Chef Laura of LBeeO’s Hospitality Services provided a delicious display of personal charcuterie.