Food for People|Staff

Food for People>Staff

Food for People The Food Bank for Humboldt County 307 West 14th Street Eureka, CA 95501 Telephone: (707) 445-3166 Fax: (707) 445-5946	Staff Anne Jones (a.k.a. “A.J.”),Food Distribution Coordinator A.J.'s formal training and background is in law enforcement and revenue recovery. But she changed careers over a year ago to pursue her first love—feeding the hungry. Having grown up extremely poor on the streets of southeast Los Angeles, her local food bank often provided safe haven in addition to food for her family. Says A.J., "Working at Food for People is by far the best job I’ve ever had—we can make a difference, yes we can!" Contact info: ajones@foodforpeople.org Melody Uoo, Volunteer Coordinator Melody loves being Food for People’s Volunteer Coordinator. She enjoys connecting volunteers with opportunities that best match their interests, talents and schedules. Having graduated from Humboldt State University, which emphasizes volunteerism, she understands the value of community involvement and is committed to empowering and enriching the lives of our local community members. "We have the support of a fantastic Board at Food for People, a superb staff and an amazing team of volunteers. Where there’s a need, our community’s generosity shines, showing me time and time again that there is no place like Humboldt County." Contact info: muoo@foodforpeople.org Andy Nieto, Child Nutrition Program Coordinator With eight years of experience working with youth recreation programs in northern California, Andy Nieto has the perfect background for heading up Food for People 's Child Nutrition Programs. Andy graduated from HSU with double majors in anthropology & women studies. "The world truly can be a different, more compassionate place, and I seek to do that by helping people meet their most basic need—having enough to eat." Andy is an avid Sunday afternoon kick-ball maven. She also enjoys crocheting and cross stitch, and rumor has it she’s a mean guitar player.Contact info: anieto@foodforpeople.org Deborah Waxman, Community Education and Outreach Coordinator Deborah coordinates Food for People’s Food Stamp Outreach, Nutrition Education and Hunger 101 programs. She helps folks navigate the Food Stamp Program and application process, trains community partners, and coordinates the Humboldt County Food Stamp Task Force. She organizes cooking and nutrition classes, educates at community health fairs and events and supplies Food for People’s distribution programs with recipes and tips for healthy eating and living. Deborah also teaches Hunger 101, a curriculum educating the community about hunger and hunger advocacy. She is a graduate of Rutgers University and received a Master’s Degree from Humboldt State University’s Environment & Community program. In her free time, she plays steel drums in Pan Dulce Steel Orchestra and teaches steel drums for the Pan Arts Network in Arcata. Contact info: dwaxman@foodforpeople.org Kate O’Brien, VISTA volunteer Kate O’Brien is one of the newest additions to the Food for People team. As an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer she’ll be serving for one year, working closely with Deborah Waxman as a Nutrition Education and Outreach Coordinator. And as the holidays draw near, she will be facilitating an interactive activity, titled Hunger 101, which focuses on hunger education and awareness in Humboldt County. Kate is a Humboldt State graduate with degrees in German and International Studies. Before starting at Food for People, she was living and studying in Germany, enjoying the cuisine, culture, language and travel opportunities. She also enjoys bike riding and more often than not rides to work from Arcata. Contact info: kobrien@foodforpeople.org Tyler Smith, Community Food Programs Coordinator Tyler Smith holds down Community Food Program Coordinating duties at FFP, which include the Senior Brown Bag Program, CSFP-S & Y (Commodity Supplemental Food Programs for Seniors and Youth) as well as the Home Bound Delivery Program. He enjoys cooking for his loved ones, drinking black coffee, and singing to his baby, Estella. Once, he attended film school but later graduated from a small university in Connecticut with a BA in communications. Since then, he’s been living around the country playing music and making a family. Community is very important to him, and Tyler Smith is happy to serve the people of Humboldt County through his work with Food for People. Contact info: tsmith@foodforpeople.org Chris Wisner, Operations Manager Chris Wisner has been with Food for People for six years, having moved through several positions to his current job as Operations Manager. His primary function is tracking and documenting the 1.5 million pounds of food distributed each year to low income families and individuals through Food for People's community programs. Chris is also a staunch advocate for promoting healthy, locally grown food through his “Farm to Table” calendar photography with the Community Alliance of Family Farmers. He comes to us with 25 years experience as a small business owner and a lifetime of empathy. Contact info: cwisner@foodforpeople.org Katie Harbaugh, Local Food Resources Coordinator (Gleaning and Food Drives) Katie Harbaugh has been coordinating the Garden and Gleaning Programs with Food for People for nearly a year and a half as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. Recently, grant funds were awarded by the McLean Foundation to create the Local Foods Resources Program. Katie is the new coordinator of this program which encompasses the Gleaning Program and local food drives. Katie received a BA degree in Sociology from Humboldt State University and has spent several years traveling in Europe and Latin America where she studied Spanish. She spends her free time jogging, gardening and boogie boarding in Trinidad. Contact info: kharbaugh@foodforpeople.org Jasmine McCracken, Receptionist Jasmine McCracken started at Food for People as a WEX (welfare to work) worker through the Humboldt County welfare office. She began as a receptionist, but over time she started working on the USDA program as well as assisting with volunteer coordination, direct distribution, and Senior Brown Bag delivery. She is also the mother of a beautiful baby boy and enjoys reading to him as often as possible—especially Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. She loves working at Food for People and states, “It’s a great place and the staff here are some of the most wonderful and caring people you’ll ever meet.” Contact info: jmccracken@foodforpeople.org Josephine Johnson, Fund Development Director Josephine Johnson is the Fund Development Director at Food for People. She has 3 years of community outreach and event organization with Starbucks Coffee in Savannah, Georgia, and has worked on internet fundraising initiatives with a national environmental non-profit organization. She's a 2007 HSU graduate with an MA in English, and she enjoys finding innovative ways to raise money for Food for People. If you have a novel fundraising idea, email Josephine at jjohnson@foodforpeople.org. She’d love to hear from you. Josephine is also an avid bicycle commuter and has been known to sing and play guitar at community events, though her current favorite singing locale is the Food for People warehouse.Contact info: jjohnson@foodforpeople.org Rebecca Shively, Pantry Network Director Becca recently relocated from Portland, OR to accept FFP’s newest position of Pantry Network Director, funded by a grant from St. Joseph Health System Foundation. Throughout the coming year she’ll conduct a needs assessment of Humboldt County’s 16 active food pantries, and work one-on-one with each site to enhance their operational capacities and expand their access to locally based resources. Before moving to Eureka Becca spent a year living in rural India, where she worked with a women’s microfinance bank and their sister non-profit. She is a graduate of the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) with a B.A. in International Studies and Political Science. She’s known to those who love her as a political junkie and a lover of farm animals.Contact info: rshively@foodforpeople.org Tyler Smith, Web Designer Tyler Smith is Food for People's volunteer web developer. He is responsible for creating the current Food for People website. Tyler currently attends classes at College of the Redwoods and hopes to achieve his goal of earning his Associate of Science degree in Digital Media. In his spare time Tyler likes to draw and paint on his computer at home and enjoy social gatherings with his friends. Contact Info: silens.nocti@yahoo.com Anne Holcomb (far left) Food for People Executive Director (aholcomb@foodforpeople.org) Food for People’s Board of Directors *Barbara O’Neal, President* Nonprofit Administrator *Felicia Oldfather, Treasurer* Musician *Judy Anderson* Retired Paraleagal *Gail Hamilton* Retired Social Worker *Donna Hauser* Retired *Melanie Williams* Senior Planner
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Food for People
The Food Bank for Humboldt County

307 West 14th Street
Eureka, CA 95501

Telephone: (707) 445-3166
Fax: (707) 445-5946

Staff

Anne Jones (a.k.a. “A.J.”),Food Distribution Coordinator

A.J.'s formal training and background is in law enforcement and revenue recovery. But she changed careers over a year ago to pursue her first love—feeding the hungry. Having grown up extremely poor on the streets of southeast Los Angeles, her local food bank often provided safe haven in addition to food for her family. Says A.J., "Working at Food for People is by far the best job I’ve ever had—we can make a difference, yes we can!" Contact info: ajones@foodforpeople.org

Melody Uoo, Volunteer Coordinator

Melody loves being Food for People’s Volunteer Coordinator. She enjoys connecting volunteers with opportunities that best match their interests, talents and schedules. Having graduated from Humboldt State University, which emphasizes volunteerism, she understands the value of community involvement and is committed to empowering and enriching the lives of our local community members. "We have the support of a fantastic Board at Food for People, a superb staff and an amazing team of volunteers. Where there’s a need, our community’s generosity shines, showing me time and time again that there is no place like Humboldt County." Contact info: muoo@foodforpeople.org

Andy Nieto, Child Nutrition Program Coordinator

With eight years of experience working with youth recreation programs in northern California, Andy Nieto has the perfect background for heading up Food for People 's Child Nutrition Programs. Andy graduated from HSU with double majors in anthropology & women studies. "The world truly can be a different, more compassionate place, and I seek to do that by helping people meet their most basic need—having enough to eat." Andy is an avid Sunday afternoon kick-ball maven. She also enjoys crocheting and cross stitch, and rumor has it she’s a mean guitar player.Contact info:
anieto@foodforpeople.org

Deborah Waxman, Community Education and Outreach Coordinator

Deborah coordinates Food for People’s Food Stamp Outreach, Nutrition Education and Hunger 101 programs. She helps folks navigate the Food Stamp Program and application process, trains community partners, and coordinates the Humboldt County Food Stamp Task Force. She organizes cooking and nutrition classes, educates at community health fairs and events and supplies Food for People’s distribution programs with recipes and tips for healthy eating and living. Deborah also teaches Hunger 101, a curriculum educating the community about hunger and hunger advocacy. She is a graduate of Rutgers University and received a Master’s Degree from Humboldt State University’s Environment & Community program. In her free time, she plays steel drums in Pan Dulce Steel Orchestra and teaches steel drums for the Pan Arts Network in Arcata. Contact info: dwaxman@foodforpeople.org

Kate O’Brien, VISTA volunteer

Kate O’Brien is one of the newest additions to the Food for People team. As an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer she’ll be serving for one year, working closely with Deborah Waxman as a Nutrition Education and Outreach Coordinator. And as the holidays draw near, she will be facilitating an interactive activity, titled Hunger 101, which focuses on hunger education and awareness in Humboldt County. Kate is a Humboldt State graduate with degrees in German and International Studies. Before starting at Food for People, she was living and studying in Germany, enjoying the cuisine, culture, language and travel opportunities. She also enjoys bike riding and more often than not rides to work from Arcata. Contact info:
kobrien@foodforpeople.org

Tyler Smith, Community Food Programs Coordinator

Tyler Smith holds down Community Food Program Coordinating duties at FFP, which include the Senior Brown Bag Program, CSFP-S & Y (Commodity Supplemental Food Programs for Seniors and Youth) as well as the Home Bound Delivery Program. He enjoys cooking for his loved ones, drinking black coffee, and singing to his baby, Estella. Once, he attended film school but later graduated from a small university in Connecticut with a BA in communications. Since then, he’s been living around the country playing music and making a family. Community is very important to him, and Tyler Smith is happy to serve the people of Humboldt County through his work with Food for People. Contact info: tsmith@foodforpeople.org

Chris Wisner, Operations Manager

Chris Wisner has been with Food for People for six years, having moved through several positions to his current job as Operations Manager. His primary function is tracking and documenting the 1.5 million pounds of food distributed each year to low income families and individuals through Food for People's community programs. Chris is also a staunch advocate for promoting healthy, locally grown food through his “Farm to Table” calendar photography with the Community Alliance of Family Farmers. He comes to us with 25 years experience as a small business owner and a lifetime of empathy. Contact info: cwisner@foodforpeople.org

Katie Harbaugh, Local Food Resources Coordinator (Gleaning and Food Drives)

Katie Harbaugh has been coordinating the Garden and Gleaning Programs with Food for People for nearly a year and a half as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. Recently, grant funds were awarded by the McLean Foundation to create the Local Foods Resources Program. Katie is the new coordinator of this program which encompasses the Gleaning Program and local food drives. Katie received a BA degree in Sociology from Humboldt State University and has spent several years traveling in Europe and Latin America where she studied Spanish. She spends her free time jogging, gardening and boogie boarding in Trinidad. Contact info:
kharbaugh@foodforpeople.org

Jasmine McCracken, Receptionist

Jasmine McCracken started at Food for People as a WEX (welfare to work) worker through the Humboldt County welfare office. She began as a receptionist, but over time she started working on the USDA program as well as assisting with volunteer coordination, direct distribution, and Senior Brown Bag delivery. She is also the mother of a beautiful baby boy and enjoys reading to him as often as possible—especially Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. She loves working at Food for People and states, “It’s a great place and the staff here are some of the most wonderful and caring people you’ll ever meet.” Contact info: jmccracken@foodforpeople.org

Josephine Johnson, Fund Development Director

Josephine Johnson is the Fund Development Director at Food for People. She has 3 years of community outreach and event organization with Starbucks Coffee in Savannah, Georgia, and has worked on internet fundraising initiatives with a national environmental non-profit organization. She's a 2007 HSU graduate with an MA in English, and she enjoys finding innovative ways to raise money for Food for People. If you have a novel fundraising idea, email Josephine at jjohnson@foodforpeople.org. She’d love to hear from you. Josephine is also an avid bicycle commuter and has been known to sing and play guitar at community events, though her current favorite singing locale is the Food for People warehouse.Contact info:
jjohnson@foodforpeople.org

Rebecca Shively, Pantry Network Director

Becca recently relocated from Portland, OR to accept FFP’s newest position of Pantry Network Director, funded by a grant from St. Joseph Health System Foundation. Throughout the coming year she’ll conduct a needs assessment of Humboldt County’s 16 active food pantries, and work one-on-one with each site to enhance their operational capacities and expand their access to locally based resources. Before moving to Eureka Becca spent a year living in rural India, where she worked with a women’s microfinance bank and their sister non-profit. She is a graduate of the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) with a B.A. in International Studies and Political Science. She’s known to those who love her as a political junkie and a lover of farm animals.Contact info: rshively@foodforpeople.org

Tyler Smith, Web Designer

Tyler Smith is Food for People's volunteer web developer. He is responsible for creating the current Food for People website. Tyler currently attends classes at College of the Redwoods and hopes to achieve his goal of earning his Associate of Science degree in Digital Media. In his spare time Tyler likes to draw and paint on his computer at home and enjoy social gatherings with his friends. Contact Info:
silens.nocti@yahoo.com

Anne Holcomb (far left) Food for People Executive Director
(aholcomb@foodforpeople.org)

Food for People’s Board of Directors

Barbara O’Neal, President
Nonprofit Administrator

Felicia Oldfather, Treasurer
Musician

Judy Anderson
Retired Paraleagal

Gail Hamilton
Retired Social Worker

Donna Hauser
Retired

Melanie Williams
Senior Planner