A Gift to the Matanuska Valley
Contributed by Melissa Rigas
In the span of a person’s lifetime, we meet many people. Some of these folks fade with time and memory and some remain unforgettable.
Eddie Ezelle, Executive Director at the MATSU Food Bank is of the latter category. And soon, he will be moving on in his life path to other projects, both within his personal life and within our Valley community. Eddie is retiring from the MATSU Food Bank on April 30, 2024.
I interviewed Eddie to ask some pertinent questions about his past work with the food pantry, its transition to a food bank and the many projects that he sought out and carried through to fruition so as to feed our community as much and as best as he possibly could.
Eddie started working with Wasilla Food Pantry in 2009 when it had already become a 501(c)3 but was still relying on the original five churches that were part of the VCC to supply both food and volunteers. Even when the VCC disbanded, the churches continued to donate food as they continue to do today. The original Wednesday volunteer crew is still with us today.
He started small, and alone in the building adjacent to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. He pounded the pavement to get partners on board with the mission of fighting food insecurity and hunger in the Valley. He would hand out his business cards with a small, but meaningful message that is still on his cards today – the sticker read, “Help us! Donate $20 a month or more to: matsufoodbank.org. Thanks for your support!”
This small gesture was the beginning of giving to our cause in another way than by donating food. It set the stage for creating a backup in case of need and emergencies as well as a way to sustain us. Eddie put the TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) into place, assuring our clients both donations from local people, farms, churches, and businesses as well as the government. He also instituted our Food4Kids Program which assures our young folk, up to and including 18 years old, lunches from the end of school in May until they return in August. And we became a pickup for Senior Boxes, currently servicing over 140 Elders in our community.
Eddie transitioned the Wasilla Food Pantry into the MatSu Food Bank when he began supplying other pantries across the Valley with items they needed for their clients.
When I asked him what his biggest learning experience was in his 15 years, he stated that overcoming obstacles and writing grants beneficial to our cause were his biggest learning curve and it was precisely what we needed to help support us, especially in the beginning.
Involving the Board in our mission that, although we are a non-profit, we are still a business and therefore, it was everyone involved who had to procure food and cash donations so that these donations would last, not just take care of the clients from year to year was equally a learning experience. Heck, he told me that he spent half the budget on a truck with bad tires in the first years! SUSTAINABILITY.
I asked Eddie about what he thought his greatest achievement was and for those of us in the sector, it is clear. Procuring and buying our new building at 5099 E. Blue Lupine Drive was a milestone and a legacy to the man that made it happen, Eddie Ezelle.
As Eddie himself put it, it makes us more independent, assures our overhead and operating costs and eliminates the need to apply for certain grants that in turn leave that grant money open for other people in the community that need it. SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
My last question was what Eddie's vision is for the next Executive Director of the MATSU Food Bank as well as any advice or suggestions.
Well, firstly Eddie’s hope is that the MATSU Food bank, with the changes he’s put into place will carry us into the future and stay afloat so that in 20 years' time, we are still alive and kicking and feeding our Valley better than ever.
His advice was wise and can only come from one who has been there, done that and watched. Eddie says to sit back, observe and learn from staff and clients. “Don’t rock the boat until you know how the boat rocks.” (E. Ezelle, March 2024)
Thank you, Eddie, from the bottom of your staff’s hearts as well as the community’s hearts, we salute you and honor you for your altruistic dedication to our Valley in the fight against food insecurity and hunger.