A message from our Program Manager, Jules F.:
I know I have been gone longer than expected. My surgery had complications causing lack of mobility and extreme pain. I apologize for my extended absence.
I am seeing in paperwork, (yep, my body is a mess but, I can still work closely with our core leaders to see if people are abusing the system and rules).
Jennie Mikkelsen stood up to care of all of you and fulfill my position as well as hers in my absence. She has been working very hard to accomplish keeping the needed processes running and has come to my bedside every day or so to discuss and problem solve. Believe me, she is your champion and definitely mine.
There have been many holes in the sign up spots constantly that have been creating severe unfair overloading of the core group of people who already do more than their share of required hours to keep our doors open. This is out of their gratitude, appreciation and understanding that our PCS Gleaner’s is an amazing gift. But, there are way too many members dumping the bulk of the work load on the grateful core group which is really so very unfair & unacceptable treatment for these hard working folks. Everyone knows that this is a work for food organization. Everyone (except the adoptees who are truly unable to contribute hours) can help in so many ways, physical and non physical. There are even adoptees who now can and ARE ❤️performing driving duties or computer or phone work to lessen the load on the core group of folks who take our mission seriously and have been carrying the load for the folks that do the bare minimum or less in hours. I extend my sincere gratitude to these people.
So here’s my dilemma, if you think you should be able to shop and get away without working, or just scrape by with less hours, you are mistaken. If you want free food and not work, I seriously recommend that you join the Food Pantry, where working is not required. That would be a better fit if you think you should not have to contribute. No one in our group is better than anyone else, thus, not working is not an option for anyone except the aforementioned adoptees. We are so very fortunate that most of our food comes from private sources, not the government, (which is going to provide less & less funding and supplies
for every agency that has been providing food, education, basic supplies, medical, and more, to those of us lesser income households). We’ve already been informed by LBFS that we are going to get less food and fewer opportunities to order because they are receiving less supplies. We have lost several Safeway pick ups due to people not signing up or showing up.
If we don’t accomplish our pick ups, we can and will lose more LBFS vendors. If we miss any one of LBFS vendor pick ups, it gets offered to another group in need and we can and will permanently lose that vendor and food source & I have been informed this will without a doubt continue to occur. Think,….Safeway, the occasional Fred Meyer loads, etc.
It’s time for everyone to dig deep into their hearts and think about the importance of the incredible and wonderful gifts from these sources. It’s time to pitch in to keep our organization running. It’s time to focus on what matters most. If shopping and receiving food from PCS Gleaner’s is important ….. then working, being a willing part of keeping it alive, gratefully & joyfully, is also important.
There will very soon, be a vote on the construct of how PCS Gleaner’s (us) functions, goes forward, its leadership and processes. Jennie & I have been designing & working on a new way to make things run more smoothly and efficiently with the goal of less hours being required by everyone, (a bunch of which can be accomplished from home by members that can’t be actually on site for hours), except for the obvious pick ups and stocking & site requirements.
Please everyone, think and search deeply about what OUR Gleaner’s group is worth to you all. It takes a village. Everyone is needed and has value in our group,….everyone. How much value does our Gleaner’s group hold for you? This is such a wonderful program. Help us help you by helping each other. If people continue to abuse our program we will lose it.
We all have lives, but we all need to to work. I keep hearing that there are people shopping that are never seen working. If we don’t have drivers or people to help stock shelves sit at check in or check out, we basically are not functioning. If this lackadaisical conduct continues it will close our doors permanently. And it will not be the fault of the people that reliably show up to work.
Please everyone, how important is this program to you? Shall we just let if fail? Or do you realize what a blessing it is.
Get involved or we will all suffer the consequences.
I don’t know how else to put it. Everyone is responsible for the success or failure of PCS Gleaner’s. And if our able bodied “Gleaner’s members” don’t step up it will also put the adoptees that are unable to work in a frightening position.
Folk’s , I beg of you to do some soul searching. Step up. No one can do it but you. But it will not be acceptable to continue in this way. We’re on a slippery slope down hill. Do you want our program to continue?
I hope so. And I thank the core group that has been loyal, reliable & hardworking from the bottom of my heart. I’m so sorry it is coming to this.
