Agency Services Annual Conference

Coming Together to Address Hunger

Each year, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank hosts an annual conference to bring together volunteers and staff from our member agencies to share best practices and honor outstanding work. This year’s focus was on Customer Service and featured two local experts experts in the field.

Courtney Smith of the United Way talks to agencies

Speakers included:

• Keynote Speaker
  Brittany Noble
  Talent Development Manager
  Amica Mutual Insurance
• Courtney Smith, Director
  United Way of Rhode Island 2-1-1

Brittany talked about the power of words and mindful service while Courtney encouraged participants to approach each guest like they were the agency’s first guest.

Best Practice Award Winners

These agencies received special recognition for their outstanding and innovative efforts to better serve their guests.

• Martin Luther King Center in Newport for their mobile food pantry, reaching people who can’t get to the agency.
• New Beginnings Community Meal Site in Woonsocket for creating a sense of community with special activities and events to engage neighbors and guests.
• SVDP St. Philip in Smithfield for partnering with community organizations to expand their impact with programs like home delivery and senior food distribution.

Sister Carol McGovern Award Winner

Nancy Hudson receives the Sr. Carol McGovern Award

The Sister Carol McGovern Award is given to honor someone for their work on the front lines to alleviate hunger and poverty at a Food Bank member agency.

Nancy Hudson from the Prescott Beach Food Pantry at St James Church. Excerpt from her nomination letter:

Nancy has volunteered with the food program for decades.  She has filled many roles over the past 25 years and has been willing to lead, to train and to follow. 

Although she is no longer the program coordinator, she has remained dedicated and offers advice, when asked, and is open to changes.  She has a phenomenal memory for facts, details and history as well as meticulous attention to detail.  Over the years, Nancy has faithfully attended the Food Bank’s regional forums and annual meetings and has brought back much information for the rest of the volunteers to learn from.  She served as the first fiscal agent for the agencies in Woonsocket that benefited from protein grants funded by the RI Foundation.  She has advocated for better use of our parish resources in order to ensure the pantry operation well into the future.

About the Award
Sister Carol McGovern was Co-Director of Amos House from 1983-1995 and she was a founding board member of the Food Bank from 1983-1990.  The Sister Carol McGovern Award is a tribute to her lifetime of work assisting others.

This award is presented to an individual representing a member agency that works on the front lines – alleviating and preventing hunger, enabling individual self-sufficiency and empowering the communities in which they work.  The individual will be honored for exemplifying Sister Carol’s ideals and providing outstanding community service.