As the food donations manager for Feed More, Central Virginia’s largest food bank, Jackie Farell stresses the importance of maintaining a dialogue between her team, the donors they work with to supply food to the food bank, and the agencies they serve (churches, schools, nonprofits and other entities acting as food pantries).
One way that she has managed to keep those lines of communication open is with the creation of what she calls her “bible” — a manual for agency partners that they can refer to for common questions and concerns. “I pretty much spell it out for them, step-by-step, in a way that’s easy enough for them to understand and relay to another person should a transition or change of leadership happen,” Farell says. “I want to give them that knowledge and know-how.”
While her job usually consists of traveling from store to store to work with over 250 retailers who help keep the food bank stocked, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to her travels. She was forced to jump into a triage role of troubleshooting with donors and agencies over the phone, putting much of the action directly into the agencies’ hands. “We were very proactive and communicated ahead to our agencies and our donors in early March,” she says. While she did see a disruption in some supply chains and the closing of some agencies, she was encouraged to see other donors and agencies step up to the plate by offering more food and being willing to go the extra mile to keep the food pantries running.
Sponsored by Campofrio Food Group
