“Some people might think that food banks are unhappy environments but that's not true,” Sharon Palmer said, adding that the food banks are “very positive and empowering.”
Sharon Palmer has handed in her resignation after just over three years as head of Barrie Foodbank.
Palmer will continue in his role as executive director until around the end of August, but told Barrie Today he is looking forward to using his increased free time to focus on a range of activities.
“I was approaching normal retirement age and felt I had the opportunity to do some of the things I wanted to do in my personal life. If you wait too long, you might not have the options or the opportunities,” she said.
Palmer said she loves the outdoors and enjoys going hiking, camping, skiing and sailing.
“I wanted to give myself those opportunities and I felt like now was the right time to take a step back and take some time to enjoy those things while I still can,” she added.
Palmer took on the role during the COVID-19 pandemic and recognized that each year brings its own challenges.
Sharon Palmer, executive director of Barrie Food Bank. Nikki Cole/Barrie Today
“In that first year, there were still a lot of health restrictions in place that affected volunteers and the services we could provide,” she said.
Palmer said the decision to implement the marketplace model was made in year two, with the food bank moving from pre-bagged groceries to a self-shopping model.
Not only does this model allow people in need of food assistance to select items based on their dietary needs and family size and composition, it also reduces food waste and adds an extra layer of dignity to the experience.
“Take-up was also starting to increase. Part of the reason was the economic pressure people were feeling due to high rents, incomes not covering the cost of living, high inflation rates, etc. That was a challenge,” she said.
“The Marketplace helped us meet some of the demands on our organization, but we also had to address the need to secure more food… and that put additional pressure on us to keep up with the increased demand for our services.”
Palmer and her team continued to focus on growth last year, implementing a reservation system and further extending their opening hours to better accommodate the increase.
Recently, Palmer’s organization achieved Food Banks Canada’s Standard of Excellence accreditation, becoming the first food bank in the province to achieve high levels of performance in the areas of operations, governance and management, customer care, health and safety, food safety, fundraising and marketing and communications.
“Since I started, every year has had challenges and opportunities. I think we've evolved quite a bit since I started. I've learned a lot, but I think it's been a good challenge, and the food bank is in a good place,” she said. “We're in a good place right now. I'm sure we'll continue to face challenges and new challenges, but that's where the food bank is right now.”
Palmer said the past three years have been “by far the most rewarding of my career so far.” Prior to this role, she was director of strategic services at Contact Community Services, worked at Kids Help Phone and also worked in digital marketing and consumer research.
“It's been really amazing to see the support of the community and the generosity and cooperation of people who understand that there are others out there who are in need,” she said. “It's really special to see that.”
Ms Palmer told Barrie Today she was grateful to have been surrounded by such dedicated people over the past three years, both staff and volunteers.
“You can also see the gratitude of people when they receive food or accept help, which is also special. Some might think it's an unhappy environment, but that's not true. It's a very positive and empowering environment where you feel the generosity and kindness of people around you.”
Board chairman Abu Falconi thanked Palmer for her leadership, saying she left behind a “legacy of compassion, commitment, impact and excellence.”
“We are extremely grateful for her exemplary service and wish her the best in her retirement,” he said in a news release.
Falconi said the board is committed to ensuring a smooth transition and continuing to advance the important work of Barrie Food Bank, and has already begun a “comprehensive selection” for a new executive director to keep the organisation moving forward.
Palmer says the past three years have been more than just a job – it's been a “true privilege” to give back to the community.
“I'm so grateful for this experience and how open and supportive the community has been, from providing food and monetary donations to volunteer support,” she said. “Knowing that I have a supportive community, volunteers and staff working alongside me to support me makes this job a lot easier.”
“This place means the world to me, and I know it will mean the same to whoever fills this position. This is a special place, and we have to embrace it all and be grateful for all that this community does to help those in need.”
