Food For Thought

We’re happy to announce that Elisa Baker has joined the Food For Thought family as our new volunteer manager. Here is her self-styled introduction:

“I am delighted to be here to carry on the work and fill the huge gap left by Stewart Scofield. I was lucky enough to know Stewart as a good friend and a mentor. Stewart and I were both from small towns in Indiana — Hoosiers –- and we were both trained as librarians with our masters degrees at UC-Berkeley. We also both turned 60 this year.

I have been volunteering with Face for Face for 20 years and began volunteering at Food for Thought six years ago and loved it. I always left feeling better than when I arrived. When I took a paying job as the volunteer coordinator at Canine Companions for Independence, I asked Stewart what he thought and he said the job had my name written all over it – he was right. I love this work! I feel like Stewart is looking over my shoulder and guiding my path here at Food for Thought and I look forward to carrying on his good work. The staff here at Food for Thought has all pulled together at this difficult time, but Allen Chivens has been instrumental in making this a smooth transition. Allen manages our antique store, but has taken time to manage the volunteer program since Stewart’s death, and train me.

I know some of you and am looking forward to meeting many more. As a volunteer manager, I’m used to asking, begging, and pleading for your time and talents. I believe that volunteers are the heart and soul of what we do, and we can’t do it without you. Please come by the office and say “hello” — to me and my “canine companion” Samir –- a large yellow labrador retriever who shares my life and my office. We are both eager to meet you.”