by Margaret McNulty, Recipient
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| Sunday donations from Tader Joe's awaiting pick up. Flowers included! |
There’s just no other word for it. It’s a miracle. A miracle that has touched our lives with such a selfless, bountiful blessing!
Imagine my surprise finding out that a business like Food Runners even existed. The brilliant business model of taking often discarded food and delivering it into the hands of the needy, and for no other reason than to benefit the hungry. Every time my building gets a delivery, it reminds me of the facial expression of my then two-year old son, Dylan, when he realized he would be getting candy from every door he knocked on at Halloween. I’ve never seen such pure joy in my life. I’ll never forget that look of wonderful surprise, mouth opened in an “O” and eyes opening as wide as a balloon! That’s how Food Runners makes me feel with every delivery.
Our building has been lucky enough to qualify and be picked for what I call the absolute “Bonanza” on Sunday’s. It’s like a gigantic smorgasbord of all kinds of dated perishables from Trader Joe’s. Forget Halloween, it feels like Christmas; one where every wish comes true. The ability to present this much needed food to our Residents, 80% of whom are disabled and elderly, makes me feel like Santa Clause giving out goodies!
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| Just one part of a typical Trader Joe's donation |
Our management team could not handle the distribution of food when delivered by Food Runners, for them it was a burden. Tenants started fighting over food in line, or, they just were rushing and not lining up at all. I knew that people were only fighting because they were hungry, so I offered to take the responsibility. Now we have a good system going and I’m not sure what most would do without it. It fills so many gaps.
Not only does it save our tenants from trip to the grocery store, a trip many cannot manage, but, it provides a diverse variety of food, some people wouldn’t be able to purchase for themselves, making it a real special treat to receive. I’m talking about chocolate croissants, cakes, and sometimes even apple pies! We get samplings of something from every food department: succulent melons from produce to top- of- the- line meats, cut deli delicacies and gluten free bakery; it’s just unreal!
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| Sorting the donations |
When the pandemic hit, I really wasn’t secure in how our residents would fare and then Food Runners stepped in to the rescue. Now, the tenants line up, rotating floors getting first preference so the same people aren’t the only ones getting first choice of the limited goods. Before the deliveries, I intstuct anyone who needs food to hang a bag on the outside door handle of their apartment and those with bags hanging, I fill up first, going door to door. And if in the hallways we insist on everyone staying at least 6 feet apart, with masks and gloves, taking turns filling their bags. I constantly get comments like, “How wonderful!” and “You are helping so many people like this!”It has become the highlight of my day to make these door to door deliveries.
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| Individual meals prepared and donated by the Food Runners Meal Program |
Getting these services from such glorious and caring people makes our world a better place. The drivers have become like family members, being so reliable and patient with us at every delivery. We also get individual meals two days during the week from the Food Runners Meal Program.
Over the holidays, our on property Resident Services dropped the ball on signing up our apartments for Salvation Army Holiday deliveries. When Ashlee heard that so many were going to go without, not only did she pick up the slack by bringing us meals. But she also took the time to learn that some older Tenants were having 90th birthdays, and she miraculously landed us Birthday Cakes, too! I can’t generate the joy on those peoples faces when they weren’t forgotten, but were celebrated instead. It was like getting to witness my son on Halloween all over again! What a miracle and a blessing that I got to be a part of that season!
Foodrunners is not an ordinary company or an ordinary blessing. It’s the most extraordinarily caring business model that I’ve ever seen. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts, toes and tummies! If I passed this letter around everyone, our tenants would sign their name and attest to the fact that these food deliveries have touched their lives in a myriad of ways.
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| Food Runners Founder, Mary Risley, and young helper picking up donations |
I thank the founder of Food Runners, Mary Risley, and everyone involved, including their own kitchen staff and volunteers, for coming up with such creative delicious recipes. I also want to thank our devoted delivery drivers, for their outstanding, reliable, professional patience and phenomenal, flexible and most accommodating service! Oh and of course a special dedication goes to dear Ashlee and Nancy, for making sure the organization keeps running its miracles so smoothly for us all.
Signed In Sincerity & Full Appreciation,
Margaret M. McNulty President of Residents, Bush Street Community Tenant Association, S.F.
