We would like to recognize and congratulate Marv as the ExtraFood Volunteer of the Year for 2022! His hard work, commitment, and loyalty to the communities we serve have been extraordinary over the past 8 years! Marv has volunteered with ExtraFood from the very beginning, he completed his first food trip in February 2014. He has not stopped since, with a current total of 946 food trips completed and over 76,000 pounds of food recovered!
In 2022 alone, Marv has completed nearly 100 food trips which equates to 100+ hours of his time devoted to caring for others throughout the Marin community. He regularly volunteers at three different food donor locations, recovers the food donation, and delivers it to three different nonprofit communities we serve in Marin - San Geronimo Presbyterian Church, The Redwoods Senior Housing, and the Eden Housing community of Fireside Apartments in Mill Valley.
Marv’s very first trip in 2014 began by picking up donated prepared foods from MarinHealth Medical Center, and he has been committed to doing this trip every Saturday morning for the past 8 years. Marv includes his grandchildren on the Saturday trip because he wants to share this mission with them and show them directly how volunteer work can benefit so many. The grandchildren have been a part of these Saturday trips for the past 8 years! Marv tells us that it is the highlight of the week to support the ExtraFood mission and be able to spend precious time with his grandchildren.
Marv has developed strong relationships with the community recipients, and they look forward to his arrival each week when he arrives with amazing food and a big smile. Margaret, the pantry manager at San Geronimo Presbyterian Church told us, “It has been a joy to have Marv and his grandson Miles deliver aluminum trays of Cafeteria foods from MarinHealth on Saturdays. He is so warm, and cheerful and always takes time to interact with our volunteers to see how they are doing”. In addition to delivering healthy food to the communities, Marv adds his extra touch by bringing his kind and generous spirit to the experience. They look forward to seeing him every week!
Marv already has his sights set on achieving the goal of 1,000 total food trips within the next couple of months. We feel fortunate that Marv has chosen ExtraFood as the recipient of his boundless generosity, enormous impact, and exemplary volunteer service. Marv is a big part of our ExtraFood family as we work to build and strengthen our community – redistributing abundance so that all can thrive.
Thank you Marv!
Photo Credit: September Days Photography