Sherry Wallis: Helping others with the basic gift of food

Sherry Wallis grew up in a middle class family in which "earning your keep" was instilled.

In her professional life, the executive director of the Post Falls Food Bank since April has helped people overcome barriers.

Those experiences of hard work and helping others, Wallis says, influence her every day at the nonprofit.

"Growing up my two sisters and I shared clothes, got jobs in high school, paid for our first cars and contributed to household functions," she said.

Wallis said her job allows her to give back to others.

"Helping people overcome barriers through education, sharing of information and resources, assisting them during difficult times, for me, has always simply been the natural and right thing to do," she said. "I have been very fortunate over the years as many people have mentored me and shared their expertise in very generous ways."

Wallis said what makes her work so rewarding is that the food bank helps infants to senior citizens.

"When you look in the eyes of a senior who shows their gratitude with a warm touch of their hand or a child who cries out, 'Mommy, we've got good food to eat' or a person who has been unemployed and has secured part-time employment just above minimum wage ... you know that providing the basic need of food is a gift this community gives to its neighbors every day and my reward is in assisting people directly," she said.

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What interested you in the food bank position?

The appeal of serving others and applying my years of experience to an organization to help strengthen its capabilities. As executive director, you wear many hats. I have had the opportunity over my lengthy career to work in nonprofit organizations as well as learn from many business people multiple skills that are transferable to helping make the Post Falls Food Bank a leader in our community for serving people in need of hunger relief. The Post Falls Food Bank has a strong board of directors, amazingly dedicated volunteers, an experienced part-time staff person, and generous donors including individuals, organizations and corporations that donate cash, food and precious time. The dynamic nature of this organization makes it very interesting. The challenges are many in our current economic climate, not only for the food bank, but for those we serve as well. Working with the many supporting organizations and individuals in our community toward a common goal of helping our neighbors is very satisfying work.

How are things going overall at the food bank?

The need for food assistance continues to grow. Many people have been out of work for a long period of time and they're feeling the financial stress of not being able to cover even the most basic of needs. The food bank is there to support them during this time of need. Food donations continue to be strong thanks to many grocer and retail partnerships we have. Like many area nonprofit organizations, cash support to help pay for operations continues to be a priority. We depend upon donors, including foundations that we apply to for funding assistance, to maintain things such as fuel to keep our vehicles on the road collecting and rescuing food, vehicle maintenance, refrigerator and freezer maintenance, utilities bills, etc. Overall, we are able to meet the demand of those we serve and help them on a regular basis, but it is always a challenge. I am honored that the Board of Directors selected me to be the Executive Director of the Post Falls Food Bank. I am humbled by the generosity of our community that supports our mission in providing food for hunger relief for our fellow neighbors. I am impressed by and thankful for the dedication of the many volunteers who make our mission possible. I am optimistic that collaboration with multiple agencies throughout our region to get food to people in need, will result in less people going to bed hungry at night. I am thankful to the community for supporting the ongoing needs of the Post Falls Food Bank.

Besides the food bank, how are you involved in the community (both in recent years and currently) and why are you involved in each of those areas?

My previous boss (at the North Idaho College Workforce Training Center) supported community involvement. In our communities, the more involved you are, the more relationships you create and the better the business opportunities. I was on the board of directors for the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce for six years. I was the chairman of the board in 2008. I was honored as their volunteer of the year in 2006. I started their Business, Education and Workforce Development committee and initiated ongoing activities that include the Reverse Job Fair for Post Falls High School students and business and industry tours for teachers. I am a founding member of the Post Falls Chamber's River City Leadership Academy and graduate of Leadership Coeur d'Alene. I am a past member of the Workforce Development Task Force. I am a member of the planning committee for the Women's Leadership Conference of the Inland Northwest. I am a member of the Hauser Lake Watershed Coalition to help preserve the health of the lake and watershed through educational outreach. I am a new member and have joined the planning/steering committee of the Kitchen Connection, a collaboration of agencies throughout Kootenai County whose purpose is to coordinate the collection and distribution of food to those in need throughout the greater Post Falls-Coeur d'Alene area, including the growing homeless population. With just barely four months on the job, I am still exploring other professional associations that relate to the mission of the food bank.

Why the transition from the North Idaho College Workforce Training Center to the food bank?

My position as Director for Customized Training at the Workforce Training Center was a very fulfilling position.

However, when I learned of the opportunity at the food bank, I decided it would be a good time for me to: No. 1, contribute my skills to an organization and directly to people that might benefit from what I have to offer, and No. 2, continue my personal and professional growth.

On average, how many people or households does the food bank serve each month and how does this compare to any previous years?

The Post Falls Food Bank provides food assistance directly and indirectly to approximately 5,200 people monthly. We assist people directly who provide proof of residency in Post Falls and who qualify under the federal poverty guidelines for number of people in their household and gross monthly income. We are currently averaging 700-plus monthly grocery baskets of food given to qualified people; this in turn provides food assistance to as many as 2,000 people (adults, children and seniors) per month (based on household size). Additionally, because we have excellent relationships with multiple retailers and grocers throughout our region, we also assist community meal sites and other food banks with the surplus food we rescue from our generous grocers. When you add up the number of people that smaller faith-based food banks are serving and the number of meals (people) that are being served by faith based and other community meal sites, we are currently assisting approximately an additional 3,200 people per month. We rescue on average, 90,000 pounds of food for distribution on a monthly basis - currently serving 5,200 people both directly and indirectly on a monthly basis.

How many volunteers are there at the food bank and what changes have happened with that program since you took over or lie ahead?

The numbers of volunteers we have on any given day vary. Some come for a couple of hours; others contribute five-six hours per day, five days a week. During special events, the numbers increase. Most of our volunteers at the food bank have been volunteering for many years. One of our route drivers, who collects and rescues food from our grocery partners, has been volunteering for 10 years. Many of the other volunteers have been donating their time and expertise for anywhere from two to eight years. Most of these long-time volunteers are seniors. I would challenge anyone to join us for a day of activities and see if you can keep up with their energy level. They are amazing people. The work we do is very labor intensive. Food collected from our grocer partners is processed by hand. We sort the food and appropriately store it for distribution to those we serve. The personal satisfaction for volunteering is as individual as people are - and people who volunteer at the Post Falls Food Bank do so because they understand that they are assisting their neighbors with the most basic need - food. We'd love to expand the number of volunteers we have. Extra helping hands are always welcome. Anyone interested in learning about volunteering with us is welcome to contact me and come for a tour of the facility. You'll be surprised at what you learn and ultimately how you can contribute your time and talents.

What are your goals as food bank executive director?

I wish to raise a greater awareness throughout our community of the great need for food assistance during these challenging economic times. I'm working to strengthen and broaden our donor base and to improve internal processes and procedures for greater efficiency. I am representing the board and our mission by collaborating with other agencies throughout Kootenai County to contribute to an overall effort of helping to provide hunger relief, especially among children, the elderly and the homeless.

What changes have taken place recently or are ahead at the food bank?

We are in the process of re-branding the Post Falls Food Bank to assist us in communicating our needs and successes to our many diverse supporters. Through generous cash and in-kind donations from a variety of individuals, service organizations, businesses and foundations (for which we submitted proposals for funding) we have accomplished the following: We recently built raised garden beds in front of our facility to grow vegetables and herbs; a Post Falls Eagle Scout provided us with custom built work tables to assist us in product sorting; we are acquiring a new manual forklift to assist volunteers in lifting and moving heavy boxes of product; we will be installing a new telephone system so we have better communication with those we serve and those that support us; we are developing a resource center within our guest lobby to assist people with referrals and resources; we are actively participating in regional networks of human services agencies to tackle the challenge of providing hunger relief throughout Kootenai County; we are partnering with the University of Idaho's Extension office to provide nutritional information, meal ideas and recipes to those we serve so they have choices on how to prepare and maximize the food products they receive. All of what we are focusing on ultimately benefits the people we are assisting. Post Falls and the surrounding community are most generous to the Post Falls Food Bank. We are very grateful for their continued support.

What are your early impressions of the food bank and the community that support it? Any surprises?

The food bank serves an amazing amount of people and organizations with primarily volunteers. There is 1.5 paid staff - myself and an assistant who is heavily involved with operations. However, my first experiences with the food bank began about five years ago as an active volunteer committee member of the Post Falls Community Spring Food Drive. Initiated by Century Publishing and highly supported by Ground Force Manufacturing, STCU and other local businesses, this community event has helped raise awareness about the need for food in our community. Various volunteers contribute hours to involve others and the campaign that occurs throughout the Post Falls School District is an amazing accomplishment. At this year's drive last May, school children, through the help of counselors, teachers and parents, raised 33,000 pounds of canned and dry goods food for the food bank. This, of course, helps us feed our neighbors. Surprises? Not so much. We live in a very generous community.

Have you heard any misnomers from customers or the community about the food bank that need to be corrected? If so, what?

When I have a chance to share the food bank story with business colleagues, a common response I receive is, "Really? I had no idea that the Post Falls Food Bank contributes to so many in our community." It's opportunities such as this interview that helps me inform others of our needs to meet our mission. Our customers are telling us that they appreciate the subtle occurring changes that include the appearance of our facility, improved customer service and the resource center now available to them.

What do you like most about your job?

When I go home at night, exhausted from the day's work, I know in my heart that I have done the best job I can to lessen someone else's burden.

What are the biggest challenges of the job and the food bank?

Ensuring that we have cash flow to keep our vehicles on the road to collect food, our refrigerators cooling, our freezers freezing and our shelves stocked.

As we head into the fall, what are the food bank's biggest needs and what does it seem to have plenty of?

Autumn brings with it the season of giving. We will be preparing holiday food baskets. The turkeys and all the trimmings that make for traditional dinners are always gladly accepted. However, on an ongoing basis, we can always use boxed dinners such as Hamburger Helper and cheese and macaroni; peanut butter; tuna and canned chicken; canned fruit and vegetables; cereal; sliced bread; and perishable items such as eggs, milk and juice. Personal hygiene items such as toothpaste and brushes, shampoo, body soap and deodorant are always helpful as well.

What is the best way to help the food bank - money donations or buying certain kinds of food?

Like other nonprofits we require cash flow to pay for operating costs. Money can be utilized to help us cover operating costs that include such items as vehicles (fuel, insurance and maintenance); building maintenance and improvement; appliance maintenance and purchases; mortgage, etc. Additionally, with our member buying power through Second Harvest Inland Northwest - a food distributor in Spokane that is part of the national Feeding America campaign, I can take $1 and turn it into $3 of food for distribution. Many people enjoy buying or growing food and donating it to us. We turn that food around very quickly. I encourage that as well. We are always happy and thankful to receive money or food from donors and supporters.

Has the food bank expanded any programs such as clothing, school supplies, coats or has it cut back on doing that to get back to its main focus of food?

We are not set up to distribute clothing and encourage donors to take their clothing donations to a variety of other organizations in our community. This year the food bank chose to collaborate with Real Life Ministries for the school supplies program. We helped promote the Aug. 15 event to our customers. As an organization we will be revisiting our role with school supplies for next year. We will again be the Post Falls distribution site this fall for Coats 4 Kids through KXLY's campaign - it's a wonderful program and does not stress our resources. Our mission remains providing food for hunger relief throughout our community.

Is the community keeping up with the food bank's demand this summer?

Yes. We have generous individuals, churches, organizations and businesses that choose to support us on a regular basis. We've had a couple of shortages of certain food products, but we always have an outpouring of support when we inform others of our needs. Next year, you'll see a collaborative effort between multiple food providing agencies promoting gardeners and others to "Plant a Row" for the food banks throughout our community. This campaign, supported by Second Harvest Inland Northwest is a simple yet efficient and cost effective way for people to support local food banks.

What group of people are the food bank's biggest customers - young families, elderly folks, middle age - or is it all spread out real evenly?

The need is great for all categories of people. We serve single people, families with children, single parents and their children, seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals and families on fixed incomes. Our current economy is not sparing any one particular demographic. The hardest hit is people on fixed incomes and the homeless.

Date of birth: Feb. 26, 1959

College: Eastern Washington University - M.S. Communications; B.A. Liberal Studies - Minors in Communications and Women's Studies

Family: Husband, John; three horses, two dogs and two cats

Number of hours on average you work in a week: 50-plus

Number of hours on average you sleep in a night: Seven

Hobbies: Equines (I love exploring the psychology of this magnificent prey animal), bird watching, gardening

Favorite spectator sport: Parelli Games

Favorite type of music: Indie Rock

Quality you admire most in a person: Honesty

Best advice you ever received: You get what you accept

Any one thing you consider your greatest accomplishment: Overcoming fears

Historical figure you most admire: Women in American History

Any one person who most influenced your life and why: Multiple people in various capacities at different times throughout my life. They have mentored me both personally and professionally.