RSVP Names Mary Wheat 2021 "Volunteer of the Year"

Mary Wheat has been named the 2021 "Volunteer of the Year" by RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program)!

Mary is the coordinator of the South Community Food Pantry (formerly South Church Food Pantry). She has the fifth largest amount of RSVP volunteer hours in 2020, with 476 hours and 4,252 total lifetime hours. All of Mary’s hours have been at the food pantry.

Mary has the fifth largest amount of RSVP volunteer hours in 2020, with 476 hours and 4,252 total lifetime hours. All of Mary’s hours have been at the food pantry.

Mary orders 7,200 pounds of food each week from the Western MA Food Bank. She works side-by-side with the volunteers at South Church four days a week. While most of us were isolating and working from home during 2020 due to the pandemic, Mary and her volunteers kept the food pantry going by changing it from a food pantry and meal site into a drive-through food pantry.

One volunteer shared that Mary does not sit in the corner — she is right beside them every minute, helping with whatever they need. When they get a delivery of food in the morning, Mary doesn’t leave until everything is put away. On distribution days, Mary arrives at 6:30am, helping her volunteers get ready for their deliveries and helping to get the outdoor pick-up stations ready.

Mary shared that there are a lot of great, kind people who volunteer, and many very appreciative people she sees weekly as they pick up food at the pantry.

Below are some images from this year’s RSVP Awards. (Photos: Diane Monterosso)