The Food independence Steering Committee approved changes to our leadership effective January 2026 at its August 14 meeting. Tom and Anita Simpson announced last December they would step down as Chair and Secretary/Treasurer/Client Intake Coordinator in early 2026 and would help identify new leadership. Shannon Miller, Steering Committee member, came forward in April and expressed interest in chairing Food Independence, with assistance from husband, Mark. Shannon is an enthusiastic and energetic leader and is already doing many leadership tasks. Mark is actively supporting and assisting her. Shannon was elected Chair unanimously and Mark will join the Steering Committee in January. Shannon will also initially serve as Volunteer Coordinator to get to know our Vols and “the system” better but may recruit someone else later. A huge thank you to Jackie Hayter for five years handling all things volunteer, from recruitment to monthly scheduling.
Grayson LandCare’s leadership has agreed to have Debby Jackson-Ricketts, bookkeeper, do our bookkeeping and banking, as a program of LandCare. This handles many of the Treasurer’s responsibilities while providing independent, external management of our books. Thanks GLC!!!
We needed a new Secretary/Intake Manager to take minutes at Steering Committee meetings, help with mass letter/email postings and lead client intake and reporting. Jackie Crowe, another Steering Committee member, volunteered to do this which was previously led by Anita. Probably not well known but Anita worked to get our reporting on the new Feeding America online platform, Service Insights. We are the only pantry, out of 200+ in SWVA, approved to report monthly info on this software. Kudos to Anita!!! Jackie C. has been trained and will be handling intake and reporting.
A huge thank you to Shannon and Mark, and Jackie, for coming forward to lead Food Indy into the future with the help of our Steering Committee and truly amazing volunteers. With your help and support, they will excel. Anita and I will keep working with them, and you, to advance and improve Food Indy. Please, continue volunteering, recommend ways to improve our service and support our new leaders.
We step down in January but assure you that Food Independence has been a wonderful, bigger than planned, and very rewarding, journey for Anita and me. A journey shared with outstanding volunteers, donors and supporters! Thanks to Shannon, Mark and Jackie and each of you for continuing that journey into the future.
Tom Simpson, Chair
On behalf of the Food Independence Steering Committee: Gaye Cornett, Jackie Crowe, Jackie Hayter, Shannon Miller, Susan Mitchell, Anita Simpson, Tom Simpson, Michelle Pridgen, Ex Officio