Bad news, good news and a grateful farewell to Mary Volk

Okay, so let’s start with the not-so-good news. The Vermont Foodbank, the state’s largest food assistance provider, has laid off seven employees and eliminated two vacant positions in response to the loss of one-time COVID-related funding and a 20 percent reduction in the amount of food received from the federal government, which was granted earlier this year. The recent layoffs amount to approximately 9 percent of the foodbank’s total staff.

With an eye to long-term sustainability, the organization is restructuring as best they can to ensure minimal disruption to services. Their plan is to try to increase donations and stretch resources to address growing food insecurity, likely to be worsened by expected cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits.

These layoffs come as food banks across the country are resorting to downsizing, due to decreased federal support and increased need. The Vermont Foodbank says that despite the layoffs, people should not expect to see any changes in when and where food is available.

Hunger and food are big issues internationally, as well. A February 2025 report by USAID’s Office of Inspector General revealed that approximately $489 million worth of humanitarian food aid has been stranded at ports, in transit or in warehouses, meaning it is likely to spoil.

One particularly maddening and heartbreaking story is that of the 500 tons of high-energy emergency biscuits sitting in a warehouse somewhere in Dubai, nearing their expiration date and slated by the United States to be incinerated rather than distributed. The biscuits would have fed 27,000 acutely malnourished children in Pakistan and Afghanistan for a month and were paid for by American tax dollars.

But, on a much happier note — and heaven knows we all need some happy notes these days — the Charlotte Food Shelf is working hard to get food to neighbors in need, and many of you in our community are helping us do that. We thank you one and all.

This week, we want to feature a very special volunteer, Mary Volk, who is leaving her post after seven years of dedicated service to the organization.

Mary Volk and her husband Tim moved to Charlotte in 1985 from Brooklyn, N.Y. Both had attended college in the north country (she went to McGill) and, having spent time in Burlington, were happy to find a restored farmhouse in Charlotte. When they relocated here, their oldest child was just over a year old; two more were born in Vermont. All three kids attended the Charlotte Children’s Center, Charlotte Central School and Champlain Valley Union High School, Volk said, then were off to good colleges, new pastures and new adventures. Volk was the third president of the board of the Charlotte Children’s Center; her husband served on the board as well. (She also served on the board of Charlotte Land Trust for 20 years.)

Seven years ago, Volk — “retired” (neither of us like that word) from a career in business and finance — one day noticed a post on Front Porch Forum seeking someone to balance the checkbook at the Charlotte Food Shelf. The task seemed simple enough, and she decided to jump in. At that time, Volk said, the organization was just incorporating and wanting to formalize operations.

Volk started doing basic bookkeeping, working closely with then-treasurer Cindy Tyler. “We were able to give some good reporting to the board and help them manage the organization based on what was being spent and trying to anticipate what would be needed next year,” Volk said.

“To me,” said Volk, “the food shelf is one of the most valuable services in town. My husband Tim and I have supported it since we moved here,” adding that when their children were little, she volunteered to help create Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for families in need.

“It felt like we live in this small town and there are people that need this service, and it is a very important service,” she said.

Once Volk became involved with the food shelf, she found that it is about more than just food, that emergency dental work, car repair, heat and rent assistance, school supplies, and winter clothes and boots for kids are also services offered to the community, if the budget allows.

What’s next for Mary Volk? She said that she now has four grandchildren “as of yesterday,” and an elderly mother living in Shelburne, and added that her husband has begun slowing down his consulting business so they can do more things like travel, bike, ski and spend time with family.

Since Volk’s three children live in Salt Lake City, Cleveland and Portland, Maine, that will likely be a good amount of traveling.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is so very grateful to Mary Volk for her service, expertise and dedication to the organization and to the community. “The Food Shelf is a great organization,” she said. “I was happy to be part of it. We are lucky to live in a community that is so generous and that supports each other.”

Food shelf director Peggy Sharpe said, “On behalf of the Charlotte Food Shelf board, I want to extend our sincere thanks to Mary for all she has done for our organization the past seven years. Her dedication and service are deeply appreciated. Her guidance and support this past year, as the food shelf initiated significant changes to our bookkeeping systems and processes, has been invaluable. We extend gratitude and best wishes as she moves forward with new and exciting adventures.”

The food shelf would like to acknowledge the following for their generous contributions: Susan Hyde, John Henry Siedlecki, Michael and Janet Yantachka, Kathleen Nolan, Lewis and Sandra First, Jessica Shevitz Rauch and Jeremy Rauch, Jocelyn Schermerhorn, Cecily Stokes-Prindle, Anita Royer, the Cedar Beach Association, the Charlotte Congregational Church, Our Lady of Carmel Parish, the Windham Foundation and the Weezie Foundation. Apologies to any we have missed. Please let us know so we can thank you. We couldn’t do this without you!

Our schedule:
Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m., & Saturdays, 9-11 a.m. (second and fourth of the month, unless otherwise noted)

Wednesday, Aug. 13 & 27 (Donations of food can also be brought in on Wednesday distribution days.)

Saturday, Aug. 9 & 23
For applications for grant assistance, forms are available at the food shelf and on the website. Applicants must reside in Charlotte or North Ferrisburgh.

If you would like to donate to the Charlotte Food Shelf, you can use your PayPal account or your credit or debit card. If you prefer to donate via check, you can make checks payable to Charlotte Food Shelf, Inc. and mail to: P.O. Box 83, Charlotte, VT 05445. For more information, call 802-425-2402.

A convenient way to support the food shelf is to sign up for monthly donations through PayPal, which will allow you to spread your donations out over the year.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is a nonprofit tax-exempt organization. Gifts are tax deductible within the guidelines. You can also contribute here.

Also, for you gardeners out there: when you are planting your vegetable garden this year, think about putting in an extra row or two for the food shelf!

For any other inquiries, please contact Peggy Sharpe.