Cd'A food bank manager resigns

COEUR d'ALENE — Carolyn Shewfelt is moving on to her next challenge.

Shewfelt, food bank manager at Community Action Partnership in Coeur d'Alene for more than six years, has submitted her resignation to focus on a dog car seat product that she's developing. Her last day on the job is March 4.

"I want to thank the community for all of its support and for stepping to the plate so we can serve people more efficiently," she said. "I could not have done my job without the support."

Shewfelt said it was a difficult decision to resign, but she believe it's time and a chance for someone else to take the food bank to the next level.

"I sobbed; it was my baby," she said, referring to the decision to resign. "But it's time to do something different and I've done everything I can do there."

Shewfelt, who has lived in Coeur d'Alene since 1992, said the food bank was distributing about 400,000 pounds of food per year when she started. It is now distributing about

2 million pounds. Two years ago, the distribution reached 2.4 million.

There are three paid positions at CAP, including the manager's job, and about 900 volunteers. The food bank serves Kootenai County, while its warehouse portion serves food banks and soup kitchens in the five northern counties.

The food bank has undergone a remodel, changes to how food is sorted and stored and become OSHA-certified under Shewfelt's leadership.

"Not one procedure is the same," she said.

Shewfelt said she believes she has fixed the operation; now hopefully someone can take the agency to another level.

"Everything is operating the way it should be," she said. "Now it needs someone who can organize events and create awareness. That's not my gifting."

Shewfelt said she'll miss working with the warehouse staff, volunteers and the community.

"I'll probably be a volunteer (at the food bank), but I'm just not sure in what capacity," she said.