I think I discovered the secret to a long, happy life when I met Ann Wilson last week. Do what you love and it will never feel like work. “I’m going to work for free for the rest of my life,” she says with a smile. She’ll be turning 89 in a few weeks, and her husband Bob is 91, an age when many folks might think of slowing down a little. Instead, they spend their days at the Yavapai County Food Bank, ensuring the folks who need it most in our community have enough to eat.
The food bank started at a small church they began attending when they moved to Dewey in 1992. Ann jumped in as a volunteer and brought Bob along, spending their free time together on weekends and after work helping wherever it was needed. By 2001, Ann accepted the full-time executive director role. Bob joined her the following year. It’s been 33 years now. “We just don’t know how to quit,” she said. “Nor do we want to.” Ann says they will retire when God says it’s enough.
It’s not an easy job, especially as prices have soared and donations have dropped, making it harder to keep the shelves stocked. Ann shared that they’ve had to buy more food lately and she’s noticed on some orders the price has tripled from what they used to spend, even with the discounts and generosity of their suppliers. They are the largest food bank in the county. It takes around $800,000 a year to keep things running smoothly. Donations are down by about $300,000 right now.
She hopes people will be generous during the holiday season and with charitable year-end tax credits. Right now they are focused on gathering turkeys, stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin pies — all the fixings that go into a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. “We’ll take any donations that make a nice meal,” she said. “Some folks have smaller families or live alone, so a chicken, ham or pot roast is just as good.” With the help of Living Faith Church in Prescott Valley, Yavapai County Food Bank will work to make sure everyone has a reason to celebrate the season. They have scheduled donation hours and food distribution hours during the week and an after-hours drop box at the end of the driveway for non-perishable items.
They’re also taking applications to sponsor a family’s Christmas gifts, whether you’re up for shopping in person or want to donate money instead. I remember writing letters to Santa that spanned multiple pages and included page references to that year’s JCPenney catalog. I never worried whether there would be presents under the tree on Christmas morning. If you’ve ever adopted a family for the holidays, it can be humbling to read through a short list of wants and needs — a Barbie doll, winter coat, work pants, hair clips, warm socks.
Ann says she can’t imagine not coming in to work each day. “It’s boring to sit at home on the weekends,” she says. “I always knew when we moved here, I would keep busy.” She and Bob have been nominated as the November Hometown Halo recipients, an award recognizing and celebrating dedicated leaders who make a difference for seniors in our community. They’ll be on hand to receive their award and the $500 prize during the Senior Referral Network event on Nov. 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Center, 1280 E. Rosser St., Prescott. While admission is free, in honor of Bob and Ann, attendees are asked to bring a food or monetary donation for the Yavapai County Food Bank to help fill the shelves for the holidays.
Ann has to squeeze a medical procedure in before the award ceremony. “The doctor told me just a small percentage of my heart is working right now,” she said, but she is sure she’ll be attending the event in person. She waves off my concerns and heads back to her office, using 100% of her heart to keep doing all the good things she does to make the world better for everyone she meets.
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Visit yavapaifoodbank.org to learn more.