The Kendall County Community Food Pantry has welcomed a new leadership team in Alex Hurd and Dulce Vargas as the new executive director and assistant director of the burgeoning pantry.
Originally from Boston Mass., Hurd had made his livelihood through service to people in need. Hurd comes to Yorkville after 16 years at A Safe Haven Foundation in Chicago where he served as director of learning and organizational development. There he helped develop job training programs. His clients came from the department of corrections, single women with children, unemployed homeless veterans, and others in need of housing and opportunities to gain experience and employable skills.
“We taught urban landscaping, from how to use heavy equipment to landscape design,” Hurd said.. “Our clients were able to work on projects for the Chicago Department of Transportation and to do highly-visible projects in the city,” Hurd said. “We were teaching marketable skills, but just as important we were teaching them how to be part of a team. When individuals left the program, they could go to another landscape company, or become a valuable member of another organization,” Hurd added.
With about a month on the job, Hurd already has seen the strengths of our local pantry. “This is an incredible community that is all volunteer-led. It truly is community driven and an important part of the community,” he added. “The most important thing for me now is meeting our volunteers and building relationships with them. These are the men and women who keep this pantry moving.” I am also starting to focus in on the daily operations with Dulce.”
Dulce Vargas, the new assistant director, began her association with the Pantry as a volunteer and really exemplifies the spirit of the Pantry and the hundreds of volunteers who have served there over the years.
“I started about 12 years ago volunteering at the front desk, translating because I am bilingual, and have worked in every department,” she said. For over three years, she has been the lead in the clothing department at the Pantry but continues to work at the front desk on distribution days. “It is amazing! This place is a family” Vargas said.
Before moving to the Fox Valley area, Vargas managed her family business, Home Run Haven in Sturtevant Wis. in addition to working for the Pantry. Vargus is the co-owner and founder of D&R Transport Inc. of Plano.
Through the years she has volunteered in every department, and she knows every volunteer.
“Our growth and the speed of the growth is our biggest challenge,” Vargas said. “I do not think anyone anticipated the speed of the growth. Our clientele has increased dramatically during and since the pandemic, and the numbers are not going down,” Vargas said. “We are serving triple the number of clients with the exact same number of volunteers!”
“The pantry is run like a small business,” Hurd added. “Everybody knows their job and department, work continues through the week until Thursday morning when everything is ready and 440 or more families walk through the door,” he added.
Because of inflation, the cost of food, and the increasing number of families they serve, the duo has been tasked with two top priorities: Building donations and increasing their volunteer base. “We have so many volunteers who have been here so long. They each need to be training assistants so someone can slide in if, or when a volunteer retires or wants to do something on his or her own schedule. This place offers the chance to be part of a team, and the best part is its mission to feed people.” Hurd said.
The website is the best option for more information on volunteer opportunities, to donate, or to become a client at the Pantry, at https://kccfoodpantry.org/. Every dollar donated adds up to $7 or $8 dollars’ worth of food, thanks to partnerships with the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
“Ultimately, we are not meant to live life alone,” Hurd said. “I would love to be a part of the solution to the stigma of needing help. That is really important to me.” Vargas added, “I really enjoy helping. It is my passion. We are working together to make this vision together.”
Barb Nadeau is the mobility & community relations manager for the Voluntary Action Center of Northern Illinois, representing five counties. Barb’s career includes many years as a professional television and radio host, as well as a print and social media journalist, and as a volunteer coordination professional, networking among non-profit social service agencies throughout Illinois. She is a freelance writer and an elected alderman in Plano. Contact Barb at bvnadeau@gmail.com.