Rising to A Once-In-A-Lifetime Challenge

The pandemic has required all of us to step outside our comfort zones. We’re so proud of—and grateful to—the 20 team members who left their regular roles to support the distribution team as GBFB worked to meet the increased demand for food this past year.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, we went from distributing 150,000 pounds [of food] a day from our warehouse to almost 400,000 pounds each day in no time. That’s when the warehouse had to ask for help, and I was redeployed. Working on the shipping dock could be stressful sometimes, but it’s also very rewarding. Knowing that I make a difference gives me great pleasure.”

Carmen Mercado
Agency Relations Associate

“I was redeployed to help Spanish-speaking applicants apply for SNAP (food stamps) and to find their nearest pantry. I felt humbled to be able to connect people to these vital resources when so many had been recently laid off and didn’t know where they would get their next meal. I am grateful to be part of this work during these challenging times.”

Rachel Weil
Programs & Capacity Associate

“What particularly struck me was the enormous amount of respect that [our partners] have for the hard work Team GBFB puts in to make sure every agency gets what they need.”

Gary Roy
Senior Manager, Public Relations

Thank you again to Carmen, Rachel and Gary—and all of our fearless, dedicated team members who make our ongoing pandemic response possible. Thanks also to friends like you, whose support is the foundation of everything we do. We are in this together!