George and Jayne’s Story
“We’ve Gotten a lot More Than We Have Given.”
George and Jayne have been financial donors to St. Mary’s Food Bank for many years. They were impressed how far the Food Bank stretched their donations to help as many people as possible.
When the Food Bank lost 80 percent of its volunteers in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Mary’s president Tom Kertis put out a plea for volunteer help. Both recently retired, George and Jayne decided they could donate some time as well.
That was more than a year ago, and they haven’t stopped volunteering.
The couple comes to the food bank three days a week and has fallen in love with St. Mary’s mission and method of feeding Arizona’s hungry. They fill grocery carts inside our Knight Client Services Center as the national guard loads those carts into the hundreds of cars that roll up each day.
Now volunteer veterans, they show the new helpers what to do as if they were on our staff – which they almost are!
“It’s been an amazing experience,” said Jayne, who worked as a nurse and loves the nutritious food St. Mary’s offers each day. “The staff and other volunteers have become our friends. To have been able to help during this very difficult time for so many is so fulfilling. I felt like I’ve gotten a lot more than I’ve given at St. Mary’s Food Bank.”
