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Upcoming Events
- THANKSGIVING POULTRY DISTRIBUTION - Monday, Nov. 20th, 1:30-5:30pm
- THANKSGIVING MEAL SERVICE - Thursday, Nov. 23rd, starts at noon
- Email Cecilia if you would like to help.
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Wish List
- Hygiene Kit Items: New Pairs of Socks, Razors, Soap, Toothbrushes, and Toothpaste
- Needed Foods:
- Canned Chili, Stews, and Soups
- Ready-to-eat and pop-top canned goods
- Protein bars
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Creating the Beloved Community
Executive Director Brooke Sampson reflects on her second term of service at PVLF.
It has been a pleasure to serve again as Executive Director of Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes these past 15 months. The scale of our programs has greatly increased since I first served as Executive Director from 2006-2008; for example, looking back ten years, pantry visits have increased by 94%. Yet, the core of our programs has remained constant - the welcoming, respectful service offered by our volunteers and staff. When guests and visitors come to the Solari House - our home on Second Street since 2000 - they are greeted warmly and invited to share food and fellowship with us. We are not just a service provider. We are a hub of community.
Martin Luther King Jr. extolled the creation of "beloved community" as the ultimate end of the civil rights movement - a civil society characterized by profound human connectedness, inclusivity, understanding goodwill for all, charity, justice, and "agape" love, a love for all that preserves and builds community and expects nothing in return. In the beloved community, King said, poverty, racism, hunger, and homelessness would cease to exist because, recognizing that we are all interconnected and our well-being is inextricably linked to the well-being of others, we would not tolerate the suffering of our brothers and sisters. King emphasized that this was not merely a utopian ideal, it was a vision for the type of society that could be built with a commitment to nonviolent social change, advancement of human rights, and the creation of equality of opportunity.
Fifty years later, we are still a long way from King's vision and very divided in our vision for our country. But, we have the power to effect change at the local level through personal and collective action. Non-profit organizations such as ours, that bring diverse community members together, are powerful sites for community building. In our own small way, as we serve and connect with local residents in need, we participate in the creation of a more just world, a more beloved community.
It has brought me great joy to be a part of this organization since 2006 - as a staff member, a supporter, and volunteer. The services we provide in my hometown community meet immediate human needs and create a more compassionate and just community. I am taking an extended maternity leave starting at the end of this month, but will be returning to PVLF in a new role as a Board member in 2018. I look forward to continuing to contribute to our mission and the creation of a beloved community right here at home. Thank you for joining us in this work.
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Joann Godoy to Serve as PVLF Executive Director
Joann Godoy, PVLF Board member since 2013.
Joann Godoy, retired public health nutritionist and long-time Aptos resident, is transitioning from Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes Board member to part-time Executive Director at the end of this month, when Executive Director Brooke Sampson begins an extended maternity leave. Joann has served on the Board of Directors since September of 2013, including terms as Treasurer and President. She is also the bookkeeper for the organization.
Joann was inspired to get involved at PVLF by her dear friend Tom O'Brien, past President of the PVLF Board and dedicated volunteer. After Tom passed away in 2012, the food pantry was renamed in his honor and several of his close friends, including Joann, joined PVLF as volunteers to continue his legacy of service to the organization. Joann learned the finances of the organization, assisted with bookkeeping, joined the Board, and then served as interim Executive Director on a volunteer basis during a period of staff transition in 2014.
Since that time, Joann has volunteered more than 20 hours a week, focusing on accounting, operations, and special events. She has served as the chair of our annual Empty Bowls event for the past five years and took the lead as project manager of PVLF's My House renovation campaign in 2015-16. She has contributed to PVLF at a high level in each of her roles, bringing more than 35 years of program management and administration experience from her career with the Monterey County Health Department as the Director of Family and Community Nutrition Programs. She was recognized for her contributions to PVLF in 2014 when she was honored as our annual Bob Montague Volunteer Award recipient.
We thank Joann for taking on this role. She will be assisted in the management of day-to-day operations and office management by our new Operations Manager, Cecilia Cervantes. "I've failed retirement!" Joann jokes modestly, when asked about her service to the organization; her service at PVLF is indeed an extension of her career in public health, ensuring healthy food access for all. "I look forward to building on the momentum we have gained in the past year," Joann says. "My husband Marc and I are committed to the mission of Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes and service to the Watsonville community. We are simply continuing the work of our dear friend Tom."
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Local Artist Is Committed to Filling Empty Bowls
Local ceramicist George Dymesich (pictured above in the ceramics studio at Santa Cruz High School) is a long-time supporter of Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes and our annual Empty Bowls event. For the past 14 years, he and his ceramic students have crafted several dozen bowls for our fundraiser each year - this year, more than 80 - to provide each guest with a beautiful reminder of the hunger that exists in our community.
In addition to encouraging their support of our organization through their art, George encourages his students to learn more about PVLF and get involved as volunteers as well. When speaking about the importance of food assistance programs like ours, George shares a story from his own life. With his permission, we share his story here.
There was a time in my life when I was down and out. I went to a church for a meal and had to listen about how I was going to hell for half an hour before I could have anything to eat. After that, I was determined that I'd always have enough to eat, no matter how many jobs I had to work, even if I was living in my van. Since then, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for those who are down and out. You don't know what it's like until you've walked in those shoes.
When my wife and I volunteered at Loaves & Fishes, helping Maria serve lunch, it was the most uplifting experience of the year for me. I witnessed the epitome of humanitarianism, which is not so common in the world these days.
Most of us are pretty lucky. I'm lucky because I found something that I love to do and have been able to make a living doing it all these years. I encourage my ceramics students to learn more about Loaves & Fishes and get involved as volunteers.
We thank George for sharing his story with the community. We are so grateful to him for his generous support of our work and for inspiring others to join us in our mission!
If you would like to see George's amazing pottery, visit him at his home studio this weekend, October 21-22, for the encore weekend of Arts Council Santa Cruz County's Open Studios Art Tour from 11am-5pm. He is artist #239 (see below and visit artcouncilsc.org for tour details). You can also view his pottery on his website georgethepotter.com.
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Thanksgiving Day meal service at Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes, 2016.
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Thanksgiving Volunteer Opportunities
Are you considering spending your Thanksgiving holiday with us? Please sign up and help us make it a happier holiday for our pantry and lunch program participants.
Experienced PVLF volunteers are encouraged to sign-up for one or multiple shifts!
***Sign up soon, as volunteer spots will fill up fast!***
Thanksgiving Poultry Distribution, Monday, November 20th
Distribution of turkeys and chickens to 400 pantry client households at PVLF
1:00pm-6:00pm
Set-up, distribution, and clean-up
Partial shifts available
Thanksgiving Day Meal, Thursday, November 23rd
Traditional Thanksgiving meal service for up to 200 guests at PVLF
8:00am-11:00am
Dining area set-up and decorating
11:30am-2:00pm
Lunch Service and dish washing
1:00pm-4:00pm
Dish washing & clean-up
CONTACT Cecilia Cervantes, Operations Manager
volunteer@pvloavesandfishes.org
(831) 319-4571
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Honorary and Memorial Gifts
Honor a friend or loved one with a gift to Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes.
Your donation will provide nutritious food to local community members in need, and your honoree will be recognized in our e-newsletter and receive an acknowledgment by mail.
This is also a thoughtful holiday gift for the PVLF supporter in your life!
Donations can be mailed to us at 150 Second Street, Watsonville CA, 95076, or made through our website.
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