Heroes of Everyday Life - 2003

Stephen Ali
Bakersfield, CA
Stephen Ali has been reaching out to those at risk of hunger for more than 10 years. In 1992, he formed Children of God Ministries, a mission to service the Bakersfield community, and since then has prepared and delivered more than 16,000 meals, donated Bibles, donated thousands of bags of clothes, more than 12,000 pairs of shoes, and more than 850 blankets to those in need. On a weekly basis, Stephen also prepares meals in his home, which he delivers to the hungry on the streets of Bakersfield.

Vivian Chen
Evanston, IL
Since 2001 Vivian Chen has donated her time and skills in the fight against hunger. The head coordinator of food at the Joshua Center in Chicago, a homeless shelter operated by Breakthrough Urban Ministries, Vivian prepares and serves meals, and spends quality time with the women who visit the center. Vivian has also ensured the donation of nearly 3.5 tons of food to the Greater Chicago Food Depository over the last three years.

Gary Giberson
Lawrenceville, NJ
Gary Giberson has been volunteering and raising funds for The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties for the past 12 years. As a direct result of Gary’s fundraising efforts, the FoodBank moved to a larger location three years ago. For the past several years, Gary has been on the Habitat for Humanity® committee, has provided support for child feeding programs including onsite training in Ocean County and participation in Childhood Hunger Day, and has volunteered in the Drive Out Hunger Golf fundraiser. Gary also freezes surplus food from his unit’s kitchen, which he donates once a month to the food bank, Second Helping.

Joseph Heavey
Poughkeepsie, NY
Joseph Heavey has been fighting hunger for several years and has encouraged other Sodexho employees and students to do the same. The result has been the creation of Marist Meals—the production and delivery of 35 meals, four times a week, for the residents of Hillcrest House, a local homeless shelter. He donates time and food towards several different holiday dinners throughout the year, including Thanksgiving dinner at the Lunch Box, Christmas dinner with the annual Eileen Hickey Foundation, and Easter and Christmas dinners at Grace Smith House of Poughkeepsie.

Michael Kester
Columbia, SC
Michael Kester has assisted in raising thousands of dollars toward the fight against hunger, most recently organizing a dessert competition which competition that raised over more than $15,000 to assist children from Palmetto Place Children’s Shelter. Michael has organized numerous programs such as Team Nutrition Days, a golf tournament and hunger awareness campaign, to not only feed children, but also educate the public about hunger in his community. He has donated more than $17,500 in food products to Kids Café and makes presentations at high-risk schools for malnutrition. He is a National Board member of the Chef and Child Foundation.

Rhonda Pensinger
Nashville, TN
Rhonda Pensinger feeds those in need at the Kids Café, preparing and serving food to more than 100 children on a monthly basis. She and a team of Sodexho employees also mentor the children following the meals. Rhonda has assisted in the assortment of food at the local America’s Second Harvest Food Bank, and raised 450 pounds of food during a canned food drive, which was also donated to the food bank. Four times a year, Rhonda assists the local church to feed the homeless a dinner and continental breakfast.

John Rifkin
Cherry Hill, NJ
John Rifkin holds Sodexho’s annual Servathon not once, but four times a year, and encourages volunteers to hold their own event two to three times a year at the Delaware Valley Community Kitchen® (DVCK), a culinary arts training and employment program for low-income adults. John has organized the donation of chef apparel to the DVCK and has hosted Chef Association meetings there. He also works with the DVCK in the Welfare to Work program, where students from the program intern at a Sodexho account. Since 2001, John has assisted the DVCK in preparing more than 60,000 meals. John has held a position on the Board of Development for the DVCK since 2002.

Abby Stanfield
Pittsburgh, PA
Abby Stanfield donates her time to fight hunger by preparing and serving meals to women at Bethlehem Haven, a local women’s shelter. She also recruits other Sodexho employees to join her in fundraising events such as the Annual Silent Auction Fundraiser and It’s About Time. Abby has also donated several gallons of Brunswick Stew for the 2003 Empty Bowls Fundraiser for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Abby is a member and leader of the Greater Western PA Sodexho Culinary Association, and uses this vehicle to encourage participants in the fight against hunger.

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