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Meet Ellie Dinh: Director of Programs and Services at Second Harvest
Meet Ellie Dinh, Director of Programs and Services at Second Harvest. Learn about her journey, leadership style and passion for feeding OC! Read More -
Strawberry Semifreddo Recipe from Knife Pleat!
Michelin-star chef Tony Esnault of Knife Pleat was recently featured on Good Day LA cooking a delicious winter soup at Harvest Solutions Farm. Read More -
Meet Toyah Brooks: Director of Operations at Second Harvest
Meet Toyah Brooks, our Director of Operations at Second Harvest Food Bank! From overseeing operations to supporting our team, she works every day to help feed Orange County with care and dedication. Read More -
Meet Wayne Stickney: CDO of Second Harvest Food Bank
Meet Wayne Stickney, our Chief Development Officer. In this leadership spotlight, Wayne shares what inspires him, why he believes in feeding the line today, and how his love for learning and team spirit shape his work at Second Harvest. Read More -
Meet Joyce Foley: 37-Year Legacy of Food Bank Leadership and Service
As Chief Financial Officer of Second Harvest Food Bank, Joyce Foley has dedicated nearly four decades to serving the Orange County community. From her early days assisting the CEO to becoming a key leader, Joyce’s journey is a testament to dedication, compassion, and purpose-driven leadership. Read More -
In Memory of Former CEO, Joe Schoeningh
At Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, we honor the legacy of Joseph “Joe” Schoeningh — a humble leader, devoted mentor, and tireless advocate for feeding those in need. From board member to CEO, Joe’s unwavering commitment shaped who we are today. Read More -
Celebrating Our 2025 Volunteer Award Lunch Winners
Each year, we proudly celebrate the incredible volunteers who power our mission at Second Harvest Food Bank — and at our 2025 Volunteer Award Luncheon, we honored some of the most inspiring among them; meet this year’s outstanding award winners. Read More -
Five Expert Tips on Storing Vegetables
Did you know storing vegetables properly can extend their shelf life and help you save money? Read More -
Grand Opening of Golden West College’s New Permanent Pantry Location – The Stand
On September 19, one of our valued college pantry partners, Golden West College hosted the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new location of its Basic Needs Center, The Stand. Read More
Meet Joyce Foley: 37-Year Legacy of Food Bank Leadership and Service
Meet Chief Financial Officer Joyce Foley!
What’s your role at Second Harvest Food Bank, and how long you’ve been with SHFB?
I’m the Chief Financial Officer at Second Harvest Food Bank, and I’ve been here for 37 years – can you believe it? I made my way up the ranks, starting as a helper to the CEO and working through various roles. It’s been quite a journey, and I’m planning on retiring in July. Not bad for a lifetime career!
Who is your hero and why?
President Jimmy Carter is my hero. He was just such an admirable, low-key, gracious person who had an incredible impact beyond his presidency. What amazes me is his deep call to service. After his presidency, he spent his lifetime promoting health and human dignity across the world. He’s the humanitarian action superhero we all should aspire to be.
What is the most valuable piece of advice that you’ve learned?
Here are three pieces of advice that have kept me going: First, remember that 98% of what you worry about never happens. Second, it’s only a plan – don’t sweat about trying to make everything match perfectly. And my favorite? Be nice to your future self. – Make good choices now and put in the extra effort that will affect outcomes later in your personal or business life.
What does Feeding OC mean to you?
‘Feeding’ and ‘OC’ to me are two small words that are a powerful call to action. It’s about informing people that there are neighbors out there who may need help and reminding us that we’re all part of a community that needs to support each other.
What do you love most about working at Second Harvest Food Bank?
The best part of working here is the energy I get from other coworkers and volunteers. We’re all working for a common purpose that isn’t about putting money in a company’s pocket but about giving back to the community. I enjoy coming to work, you can hear a lot of laughter coming from my office.
What does nutritional security mean to you?
Nutritional security means we’ve elevated what we’re trying to do. It’s not just about quantity anymore – it’s about quality. We want to ensure that anybody who needs food can access high-quality, healthy options that will help them lead healthy lives, without any barriers.
What has been your favorite memory from working at Second Harvest Food Bank?
Oh, our move to this new warehouse in 2007 was something else! Our old building was falling apart – literally. During the move, we had torrential rain coming through huge holes in the ceiling, soaking all our packed boxes. But when we got here? It was like heaven. Employees were so happy. It was just such a boost for everybody’s morale.
How can the community support Second Harvest Food Bank?
Volunteer, donate, and spread the word. We can’t do all this ourselves – we need to multiply the number of hands helping. As they say, many hands lighten the load.
Jill Wilson decided to volunteer with Second Harvest in 2008 when she was in between jobs and looking for a way to apply her talents that could benefit the community. She arrived one day at Second Harvest’s former distribution center in Orange, ready to serve, and felt immediately connected to the mission.
Like Jill and Ian, other friends of the food bank may be looking for ways to connect meaningfully with Second Harvest to help those experiencing hunger in Orange County for years to come. One simple way to make a significant impact, while achieving peace of mind, is by creating a will or revocable living trust with our partner, FreeWill.
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual awareness campaign that encourages us to learn about nutrition, develop healthy eating habits and discover the fun of being physically active. At Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, we strive to provide everyone in Orange County with the nutrition they need to grow and excel in life.
Last spring, here at Second Harvest we completely revamped our focus to proactively purchase fresh nutrition for those in need, ensuring a steady pipeline of protein, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables to our approximately 300 partner and program sites. As a next step, we recently unveiled our new, 6,200-square-foot cold storage facility and two additional cold docks that establish a “cold chain” at our distribution center in Irvine. This gives us a total of 14,550 square feet of cold storage, which greatly enhances our ability to source and distribute more nutritious food.
Second Harvest continues to fight increasing food insecurity through our Pop-Up Drive Thru food distributions with the help of many amazing volunteers and it is no surprise that many of them are mothers. Jacqueline is one such volunteer and I wanted to learn more of her story.
here to volunteer representing other mothers…to give back to the community, to be a role model to my children. As a mother, as a woman, as a friend, as a wife…you have so many hats you have to put on and one of them is giving. When I go home my daughter asks me, “Mom what did you do today?” And I say, “I got to give back to people, people that really don’t have as much as we do.” Hopefully she sees me doing this and then as she gets older, she’ll want to give back just the same way.”
Pantry. Their style traditionally has always been very welcoming and focused on building relationships with those they serve. They would put out coffee and pastries and spend time talking with the families who would come early just to socialize.
One of Nancy’s key volunteers, Mary Kaye, also shared insights. Mary Kaye is an emergency room doctor who has been spending much of her spare time serving at the Saint Timothy pantry. She began volunteering pre-COVID by taking blood pressures on pantry days and translating for Spanish-speaking clients.. All the changes have her missing conversations and connecting with the families they serve.
can take your blood pressure soon,” and encouraging them.”
Whatever the situation that keeps students on campus and struggling to feed themselves, the Fresh Basic Needs Hub at UCI remains open to serve them, supported by food from Second Harvest. Student hunger is a serious challenge, made even worse by the pandemic, but Fresh, as it’s called, has the mission to provide for the basic needs of UCI students, allowing them to focus on academics.
Last week did not feel hopeful. Seeing the injustice of the past few days makes me cringe. It causes me to grieve when I see people treated unfairly or worse. But I’m choosing to move forward with hope. How can I have hope this week? Because I know Andrea and I see how she treats people who sometimes feel trapped. The team at Fresh, and all the other college pantries in Orange County serve as a lifeline for their students, providing for basic needs and offering a dignified experience for everyone who comes to them for help. Their service is a beacon of hope in the darkness.
redirected those emotions toward survival and humility. While it was a very difficult decision, Stephen and Kristina decided that in order to make it through this crisis, they would need to receive assistance the first time in their lives. This is what it means to be newly vulnerable.