Each year, ExtraFood honors a few extraordinary volunteers whose dedication, compassion, and hard work help nourish our community in powerful ways. Today, we are thrilled to announce our Marin and San Francisco Volunteers of the Year, individuals who go above and beyond to rescue fresh food, support our partners, and ensure more of our neighbors have the meals they need. Their commitment reflects the very heart of our mission, and we’re proud to celebrate their impact.
San Francisco: Patty Ferrant
The pandemic has changed a lot for many people. One change for SF Volunteer Patty was discovering ExtraFood. Before the shutdown, she volunteered at Glide and the SF Food Bank. When those paused, she still wanted to help, so she tried ExtraFood and never stopped. It was the perfect way to get out of the house and keep serving her community.
Patty now does an incredible ten or more runs every weekend. She has completed 300 rescues this year and over 800 since joining ExtraFood! Patty says, "I have always cared for people. Volunteering lets me meet neighbors I might not meet otherwise."
She picks up from Mollie Stones, SusieCakes, Arizmendi, Noe Valley Bakery, Bobs Donuts and Trader Joes. Cathy at Martin Luther King Tower looks forward to Patty every Saturday. She also delivers to Sadie and the seniors at 666 Ellis Street every Sunday, which she says always brings her a smile.
During the week Patty teaches middle school and is in her 27th year. She even teaches a community service elective and shows her students what giving back really looks like.
For Patty, volunteering is all about the people. As an ExtraFood volunteer she has made many warm connections, and they are the reason she keeps showing up.
A fun Patty fact. She is a huge Giants fan and has a goal to see them play in every MLB stadium. She has only four left!
Thank you, Patty, for your incredible dedication, your heart, your humor, and your loyalty. You make a huge difference and that's why you deserve to be our San Francisco Volunteer of the Year.
Marin: Curt Wise
For more than a decade, Curt Wise has been a dedicated member of the ExtraFood volunteer team. Since joining in 2014, he has completed over 1,200 food rescues, delivering nearly 65,000 pounds of food.
Curt discovered ExtraFood shortly after retiring in 2012, when he was looking for a meaningful way to give back. After seeing a mention of ExtraFood in a restaurant newsletter, he reached out and spoke with founder Marv Zauderer. Soon after, he became one of ExtraFood’s very first volunteers. In those early days, Curt traveled across Marin, picking up food wherever it was needed and helping build the foundation for what would become a countywide food recovery network.
As the organization expanded, Curt became a steady weekly volunteer and has maintained that commitment ever since. Each week, he picks up food from two Safeway stores and Novato Community Hospital. Curt is known for taking time to get to know both donors and recipients, turning routine rescues into meaningful connections.
When asked what advice he would give new volunteers, Curt says, “Get to know the donors and recipients. You’ll make friends, and you’ll see firsthand how your time benefits the community.” This approach reflects the way he and his wife Julie—who joined him in volunteering after her retirement—interact with everyone they meet through ExtraFood. Together, they have become trusted and familiar faces to many throughout Marin.
Curt’s commitment remained strong even during the pandemic. He briefly paused volunteering to protect his family but returned as soon as it was safe, ready to continue serving his community.
For Curt, volunteering is an ongoing act of service and connection. Through thousands of miles driven and countless relationships formed, he has played a vital role in nourishing both people and community across Marin.
Thank you, Curt, for your commitment, compassion, and dependability over the past decade.