Georgia Mountain Food Bank 2022-2023 Board of directors
Brian Bailey, MBA, CFRE
Major Gifts Officer/The Medical Center Foundation
Joy Banks
VP of Operations/OnSite Property Solutions
Julie Knight-Brown
Nutrition Director/Lumpkin County Schools
Steven Ellis, GMFB Board Vice Chair
Owner/Ellis & Company
*Jennifer Herring
Campus Administration/University of North Georgia
Carli Jones
Agritourism Director/Jaemore Farms
Cheryl Jones, GMFB Board Chair
Nutrition Director/Hall County Schools
Cindy Jones
Nutrition Director/Union County Schools
Stacey Jones
Division Operations Supervisor/Homestar
Lori Lebow, M.D
Ophthalmologist/Gainesville Eye Associates
John Pace
CFO/Norton Agency
Amber Price
Underwriting Operations Specialist/ Homestar Financial
Casey Ramsey
Director of Emergency Management/Hall County Government
Lauren Samples
Partner/Tillman, Baily & Associates
Felix Santiago
HR Business Partner/Ames Taping Tools
*Reneigh Saterfield
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
Steven Shockley
Director of Sales Proview k-12/Proview Foods
Suzanne Willis
Owner/Willis Properties
*Welcome to our newest Board Members!
Dear Food Bank Friends,
These are not just words here at Georgia Mountain Food Bank, they are the major goals of our Strategic Plan. Growth in all these areas is our direction this year. Come grow with us!
Serve: GMFB will increase the volume and quality of food we provide and improve client service throughout the service area. For example, Georgia Mountain Food Bank will be adding a Mobile Market to our transportation fleet. This will basically be a rolling market with free groceries for our neighbors in need in rural communities who have limited transportation. In addition to dry food, it will also have refrigeration for the distribution of fresh produce, dairy and meat.
Strengthen: GMFB will expand our infrastructure and organizational capacity to serve and maximize our relationships within our 5-county service area. In 2023 we will be expanding our facility, adding 14,285 square feet of dry storage, 7,475 square feet of additional cold storage, 10 new office spaces and 53 new parking spaces. This is a project partially funded by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
Engage: GMFB will increase public awareness, mobilize our community, and work to secure policy change in the fight to end hunger. For example, in addition to our annual operating needs, we are fundraising for the remaining $1.2 million needed for our Let’s Grow Capital Campaign. We hosted our groundbreaking event on Friday, March 24th and our building is in full swing construction. Come by and we will show you the project. We’d love to show you the progress.
We are so grateful for Kay Blackstock. Kay’s time with the Food Bank was instrumental in getting the Georgia Mountain Food Bank where it is today. Building on her foundation, it is now our task to move the organization forward.
Let’s Grow!
Rebecca Thurman Interim Executive Director/Director of OperationsP.S. Can you help? One of our lead capital campaign gifts is a $200,000 Completion Challenge Grant to complete the funding of our expansion campaign. To secure this grant, we must raise $1.2 million within the community by December 2023. Please consider an additional donation to our Let’s Grow Capital Campaign.
2023 Georgia Legal Food Frenzy
Thanks to all who signed up for the 2023 annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy. This statewide initiative provides food and funds to support Georgia food banks. The legal community in Dawson, Forsyth, Hall, Lumpkin, and Union Counties competed again this to year to raise support for Georgia Mountain Food Bank. We are truly grateful for your commitment to the communities we serve.
Rebecca Thurman Interim Executive Director
At the end of five years, June 30, 2027, Georgia Mountain Food Bank (GMFB) will have an annual distribution of 6 million meals. We have arrived at this goal because in response to the pandemic, Georgia Mountain Food Bank distributed 4.8 million meals in fiscal year 2020 and 5.7 million 2021 – an increase of 20%! The Food Bank also distributed of fresh produce in fiscal year 2021 – an increase of 39% from the previous fiscal year.
However, through the pandemic, it became clear that our existing Food Bank, the Boomershine Family Logistic Center, needed to be expanded in order to adequately accommodate the growing need. With your support we will:
GROW FOOD STORAGE SPACE
In the current facility we have approximate 3,915 square feet dedicated to cold storage (new = 7,475, or 91% more) and the remaining approximately 14,285 square feet is warehouse space (new = 19,482 plus 2,480 square feet of outdoor storage space with overhang, or 54% more).
GROW ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE FOR STAFF, BOARD, AND VOLUNTEERS
In the current facility, approximately 3,800 square feet is dedicated to administrative space (new = 5,807 or 53% more).
GROW PARKING SPACES
GMFB currently has parking to accommodate 15 vehicles. Limited parking leaves very little room for volunteers and visitors. There will be 48 spaces added across the street and 5 additional parking spaces adjacent to our addition.
GROW DOCK SPACE
Currently, GMFB is limited regarding efficiency when loading and unloading GMFB trucks, as well as food donor trucks due to dock height and number of docks.
COLD STORAGE
NEW - 91% MORE
current
WAREHOUSE SPACE
NEW - 54% MORE
current
ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE
NEW - 53% MORE
PARKING SPACES
NEW - 53 SPACES
current
Denise Bernardi, Volunteer Services Coordinator
Jamie Cooke, Driver/Warehouse Associate
Rebecca Davis, Retail Sourcing/ Procurement Coordinator
Phil Dennis, Donor Outreach Coordinator
Ronii Diaz, Executive Assistant
Colton Donino, Business Manager
Clint Frain, Driver
Perla Ibarra, Neighborhood Fresh/ Mobile Pantry Coordinator
Lydia Johnson, Agency Services & Programs Coordinator
Bobby Leverington, Driver
Eric Thurman, Warehouse / Agency Orders Associate
Alec Tipton, Operations Manager