Food for People

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	Executive Director of Food For People, Inc. Anne Holcomb 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!" Andy Nieto, Operations Manager Currently serving as our Operations Manager, Andy previously headed up our Child Nutrition Programs. She is experienced with working with youth recreation programs as well as a local graduate from HSU with double majors in both Anthropology & Women's Studies. Andy now oversees the tracking and documenting of the 1.5 million pounds of food distributed each year to low income families and individuals through Food for People's community programs. Her passion for creating a better world leads her here to helping people meet their most basic need - having enough good food to eat. Deborah Waxman, Director of Programs Deborah provides technical assistance and support for Food for People's food distribution, outreach and advocacy programs. She is also an experienced Food Stamp Program advocate, working to improve program access in Humboldt County and California to help households afford nutritious foods. Deborah is a graduate of Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications and received a Master's Degree from Humboldt State University's Environment & Community Program. Harriet Pecot, Fund Development Director Harriet oversees the various fund development projects that help keep Food for People operational. A former Peace Corps Volunteer with a B.A. in Fine Arts, she brings a variety of marketing and administrative experience to our organization's fundraising events and activities. She moved here from Silicon Valley where she managed a successful real estate business. Harriet now lives here in Humboldt County with her husband, their two daughters and one very neurotic cat. Hector Diaz, Food Stamp Assistor Hector is our new, bilingual, Food Stamp Assistor. His job is to help folks sign up for food stamps to help stretch their food budgets while maintaining an adequate level of nutrition. Hector is originally from Puerto Rico and moved to the United States when he was young. Most recently, he has moved from the east coast, relocating in Eureka with his wife. Ivy Matheny, Food Distribution Coordinator Ivy oversees the daily operations of the new Choice Pantry and helps with the supervision of our valued volunteers, community service, welfare to work and work experience workers. "The staff at Food for People are incredible. I have never worked with a more motivated, productive and inspirational group of people." Jasmine McCracken, Community Food Programs Coordinator Jasmine oversees all senior programs and makes sure more than 600 seniors a month receive nutritious foods via the Senior Brown Bag Program. She began as a receptionist and then moved to the USDA program as well as assisting with volunteer coordination and direct distribution. She loves working at Food for People, “It’s a great place and the staff here are some of the most wonderful and caring people you’ll ever meet.” Jason Hervin, Pantry Network Coordinator As Pantry Network Coordinator, Jason will oversee the food distribution to our 17 active pantries. He will work one-on-one with each site to enhance their operational capacities and expand their access to locally based resources. Prior to joining our Food for People team, Jason worked with a variety of non-profits including the local Chapter of the Red Cross and World Shelters. He served in the Peace Corps where he worked on small business development in Ghana. Jason is a graduate of Western Washington University where he earned a degree in Business with a minor in Economics. Jason Whitley, Local Food Resources Coordinator Jason coordinates and oversees the Garden and Gleaning Programs and Food Drive activities for Food for People. Jason is a recent graduate of Humboldt State University, where he earned an MA in Sociology. Jaon grew up in the rural south of Tennessee where he earned a Bachelors degree from Middle Tennessee State University, also in Sociology. For the last three seasons Jason has worked for Earthly Edibles Organic Farm in Blue Lake. Laura Hughes, Volunteer Coordinator Laura brings a wealth of experience to her new position here at Food for People. Currently, she is finishing up her Masters degree in the Environment and Community program at Humboldt State University where her thesis work is focused on Food Justice Issues. She has fundraising experience from her time at the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology and was Program Director for Friends of the Hudson River Park in New York. Originally from New York State, she brings a variety of experiences and talents (she plays a mean violin!) and shares our passion in the fight against hunger. Michael Canning, Community Education and Outreach Coordinator After spending a year with Food for People as our Local Food Resources VISTA (Volunteer In Service To America), Michael will be staying on to coordinate our Community Education and Outreach programs. As coordinator, Michael will be focused on Food Stamp Outreach, Nutrition Education, Hunger 101 presentations and strengthening our advocay efforts. Michael is a recent graducate of American University in Washington, D.C. where he earned a B.A. in Political Science. Nicole Gribi, Child Nutrition Programs Coordinator Niki comes to us originally from Maryland via Tokyo, Japan and finally from UC Santa Cruz, where she graduated with a BA in Economics and a MS in Statistics and Finance. She became interested in sustainable agriculture and spent three years running an organic farm in Los Altos before moving to Humboldt County. She lives here with her husband and baby and loves to grow, cook, preserve, eat and enjoy food! She is a great addition here at Food for People. Suzanne Ross-Kohl, Inventory Database Manager We welcome Suzanne as she dives into our new inventory system and helps us to maintain order in our universe. Suzanne is a long time resident of Humboldt County and has volunteered for years with the Kinetic Universe. If she isn’t here at Food for People, you can find her at home with her baby girl, Isadora or at the Oberon Grill, owned by her husband’s family. Food for People’s Board of Directors *Judy Anderson, President* Retired Paraleagal *Felicia Oldfather, Treasurer* Musician *Theresa Malloy, Secretary Beverly Olson* *Gail Hamilton* Retired Social Worker *Melanie Williams* Senior Planner Annie Bolick-Floss HSU Director, Career Center Jessica Osborne-Stafsness Community Health Alliance Coordinator
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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

Executive Director of Food For People, Inc.

Anne Holcomb

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!"

Andy Nieto, Operations Manager
Currently serving as our Operations Manager, Andy previously headed up our Child Nutrition Programs. She is experienced with working with youth recreation programs as well as a local graduate from HSU with double majors in both Anthropology & Women's Studies. Andy now oversees the tracking and documenting of the 1.5 million pounds of food distributed each year to low income families and individuals through Food for People's community programs. Her passion for creating a better world leads her here to helping people meet their most basic need - having enough good food to eat.

Deborah Waxman, Director of Programs
Deborah provides technical assistance and support for Food for People's food distribution, outreach and advocacy programs. She is also an experienced Food Stamp Program advocate, working to improve program access in Humboldt County and California to help households afford nutritious foods. Deborah is a graduate of Rutgers University with a B.A. in Communications and received a Master's Degree from Humboldt State University's Environment & Community Program.

Harriet Pecot, Fund Development Director
Harriet oversees the various fund development projects that help keep Food for People operational. A former Peace Corps Volunteer with a B.A. in Fine Arts, she brings a variety of marketing and administrative experience to our organization's fundraising events and activities. She moved here from Silicon Valley where she managed a successful real estate business. Harriet now lives here in Humboldt County with her husband, their two daughters and one very neurotic cat.

Hector Diaz, Food Stamp Assistor
Hector is our new, bilingual, Food Stamp Assistor. His job is to help folks sign up for food stamps to help stretch their food budgets while maintaining an adequate level of nutrition. Hector is originally from Puerto Rico and moved to the United States when he was young. Most recently, he has moved from the east coast, relocating in Eureka with his wife.

Ivy Matheny, Food Distribution Coordinator
Ivy oversees the daily operations of the new Choice Pantry and helps with the supervision of our valued volunteers, community service, welfare to work and work experience workers. "The staff at Food for People are incredible. I have never worked with a more motivated, productive and inspirational group of people."

Jasmine McCracken, Community Food Programs Coordinator
Jasmine oversees all senior programs and makes sure more than 600 seniors a month receive nutritious foods via the Senior Brown Bag Program. She began as a receptionist and then moved to the USDA program as well as assisting with volunteer coordination and direct distribution. She loves working at Food for People, “It’s a great place and the staff here are some of the most wonderful and caring people you’ll ever meet.”

Jason Hervin, Pantry Network Coordinator
As Pantry Network Coordinator, Jason will oversee the food distribution to our 17 active pantries. He will work one-on-one with each site to enhance their operational capacities and expand their access to locally based resources. Prior to joining our Food for People team, Jason worked with a variety of non-profits including the local Chapter of the Red Cross and World Shelters. He served in the Peace Corps where he worked on small business development in Ghana. Jason is a graduate of Western Washington University where he earned a degree in Business with a minor in Economics.

Jason Whitley, Local Food Resources Coordinator
Jason coordinates and oversees the Garden and Gleaning Programs and Food Drive activities for Food for People. Jason is a recent graduate of Humboldt State University, where he earned an MA in Sociology. Jaon grew up in the rural south of Tennessee where he earned a Bachelors degree from Middle Tennessee State University, also in Sociology. For the last three seasons Jason has worked for Earthly Edibles Organic Farm in Blue Lake.

Laura Hughes, Volunteer Coordinator
Laura brings a wealth of experience to her new position here at Food for People. Currently, she is finishing up her Masters degree in the Environment and Community program at Humboldt State University where her thesis work is focused on Food Justice Issues. She has fundraising experience from her time at the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology and was Program Director for Friends of the Hudson River Park in New York. Originally from New York State, she brings a variety of experiences and talents (she plays a mean violin!) and shares our passion in the fight against hunger.

Michael Canning, Community Education and Outreach Coordinator
After spending a year with Food for People as our Local Food Resources VISTA (Volunteer In Service To America), Michael will be staying on to coordinate our Community Education and Outreach programs. As coordinator, Michael will be focused on Food Stamp Outreach, Nutrition Education, Hunger 101 presentations and strengthening our advocay efforts. Michael is a recent graducate of American University in Washington, D.C. where he earned a B.A. in Political Science.

Nicole Gribi, Child Nutrition Programs Coordinator
Niki comes to us originally from Maryland via Tokyo, Japan and finally from UC Santa Cruz, where she graduated with a BA in Economics and a MS in Statistics and Finance. She became interested in sustainable agriculture and spent three years running an organic farm in Los Altos before moving to Humboldt County. She lives here with her husband and baby and loves to grow, cook, preserve, eat and enjoy food! She is a great addition here at Food for People.

Suzanne Ross-Kohl, Inventory Database Manager
We welcome Suzanne as she dives into our new inventory system and helps us to maintain order in our universe. Suzanne is a long time resident of Humboldt County and has volunteered for years with the Kinetic Universe. If she isn’t here at Food for People, you can find her at home with her baby girl, Isadora or at the Oberon Grill, owned by her husband’s family.

Food for People’s Board of Directors

Judy Anderson, President
Retired Paraleagal

Felicia Oldfather, Treasurer
Musician

Theresa Malloy, Secretary

Beverly Olson

Gail Hamilton
Retired Social Worker

Melanie Williams
Senior Planner

Annie Bolick-Floss
HSU Director, Career Center

Jessica Osborne-Stafsness
Community Health Alliance Coordinator