By Elizabeth Stahl, Communication Intern From the farm to nutrition, Elizabeth's Friday Full Of Fun continues at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle warehouse this week!
Life in the warehouse for Dennis Wooten is non-stop! Being the warehouse manager for Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is no easy task. Overseeing every aspect of food intake and food distribution, Dennis also supervises volunteers and truck maintenance. I was privileged to catch him during a few moments of down time to ask him a few questions.
What is your favorite part about fighting hunger?
I never knew anything about fighting hunger until I started working here. When I found out about it, I fell in love-deeply in love. I wake up every morning for this.”
Tell me about what you do here at the Food Shuttle:
“My job is to oversee the food that comes in and the food that goes out. I am in charge of routing the truck drivers, overseeing community service and volunteers, making sure they are happy- and I do truck maintenance whether cleaning the coolers or cleaning the insides.”
What is a typical day like for you, Dennis?
“The first thing I do every day is to check the route sheets and the volunteer sheets so I know how to start my day and to get the trucks on the road then I go from there.”
What is one thing you wished more people did?
I wish more people would volunteer more and give back more. Just join in, hold hands, and help everyone that needs help. Each dollar or each volunteer helps in some way. One bag of rice will feed an entire family; I wish more people would help.”
What is your guilty pleasure food?
“I eat a banana every day!”
How many volunteers would you say you work with each week?
“I would say about 300 or so per week, about 40 drivers and the rest volunteer around the warehouse.”
How did you get started with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle?
“A friend of mine told me about driving trucks for the Food Shuttle, so I came down here for an interview and got the job. I drove trucks for three years before I became the warehouse manager- I learned Inter-Faith Food Shuttle inside and out.”
What else do you have to say about Inter-Faith Food Shuttle?
”We are a non-profit. Me, myself, being a manger, I cannot do this job without my volunteers. I cannot do it without the unpaid truck drivers that volunteer here. We have a wonderful family here at Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.”
Dennis and the Food Dude
Dennis works hard to fight hunger and the ensure that people in need around our community receive food. We could all learn something from not only Dennis himself, but more so his heart- his dedication and compassion are endless.
If you are interested in volunteering with Dennis whether driving trucks, packing grocery bags, or working around the warehouse, please email emily@foodshuttle.org! Your help, as always, is greatly appreciated!