‘Thank you. Two simple words that mean so much to those who give.’
Personal gratitude can go a long way. Stewardship volunteers Rebecca, Hannah, and Fatima take their turn calling donors every Tuesday and second Friday on our behalf, to show gratitude for their gift. They strengthen relationships with donors and share the impact they have on joining us in our fight against food insecurity in the city.
Here is a glimpse into their stories and conversations with donors.
Rebecca Lee retired in 2023 after working for many years assisting Investment Advisors in the financial sector. She immigrated from Hong Kong to pursue post-secondary education and decided to stay and call Canada home. Following retirement, Rebecca volunteered with the Kanata Food Bank for a short time and then applied online to become a volunteer with the Ottawa Food Bank. She received a call last fall to join a virtual orientation and liked what she heard so much that she decided to give her time as a volunteer. Rebecca would have accepted any opportunity to give back to her community as an Ottawa Food Bank Volunteer but when she was invited to join the new Stewardship Program at the Ottawa Food Bank she said ‘yes’.
“Most donors I have spoken to appreciate someone from the Food Bank calling to say Thank you. Even those who receive a repeat telephone each year still tell me that they enjoy hearing from us. I can see the change in the conversations since we began the Stewardship Program a year ago and especially with donors who contribute monthly and with younger donors. They all seem to enjoy hearing Thank you.”
Rebecca credits the work she did with Investment Advisors with her ease in calling Ottawa Food Bank donors to say thank you. Her work in the finance sector included calling investment clients to provide information and to see how things were going. Most clients want to get off the call quickly, but she could hear in their voices that they appreciated her calls.
“I find it very enjoyable to speak with older donors who have more time to talk. I feel very strongly that calling people to say Thank you supports all the work that the Ottawa Food Bank does. Calling donors to say Thank you is a fundamental process that strengthens the Ottawa Food Bank and its network of almost 100 Food Programs around the community”.
Fatima Jangjou has been a Stewardship Volunteer since Spring 2025. She had worked as an electrical engineer with a satellite communications firm in Toronto for most of her career. She and her husband moved to Ottawa to live closer to their children who had moved to the community. While her husband remained working, Fatima decided it was time for her to change course and look to volunteering to fulfil her desire to ‘give back’. She searched online and eventually found the Ottawa Food Bank. She had an interview with Heather and decided to join the Stewardship Team.
“When I call people to say thank you for donating it reflects my spirituality and view of life that we should all be thankful for what we have and what we can give. When I call on behalf of the Ottawa Food Bank I usually speak with two types of people. The first group are those who immediately think I am calling to request a donation. When I clarify that I am calling to say thanks, I feel a light turns on in their hearts. The second group wants to engage in a conversation with me, and they thank me and the Ottawa Food Bank team for the good work done in the community. I get to respond by saying that I feel we are all part of a community of caring people with a common cause. I recall speaking to a woman for about 15 minutes and she thanked me at least three times and said she wished that she could do more. Her comments made me think of a quote from a favorite Persian poem which states ‘The beauty you see in me is within you.’”
Hannah Leroux has been a stewardship volunteer since the program began over a year ago. She had been working in the hospitality industry for several years and wanted a ‘volunteer experience’ to fulfil a need to give back to her community. She found the Ottawa Food Bank through a charity opportunities website and applied to volunteer online. She participated in an online information session and learned about volunteer opportunities in administration, stewardship and other programs. She expressed an interest in joining the stewardship team, and the Ottawa Food Bank called to say ‘welcome’.
‘“I admit that I was a little nervous at first, as I take great pride in doing things properly and getting it right. My confidence grew as I worked more shifts and spoke to more donors. At first many thought I was calling to solicit a donation but when I assured them that I was just calling to say Thank you on behalf of the Ottawa Food Bank, they all seemed to appreciate it. Volunteering at the Food Bank aligns with my personal values which include supporting the community and that we should have a more equitable society that looks after everyone. Here at the Ottawa Food Bank, I feel part of a community of people including staff and volunteers who support each other and work together to help those who are experiencing food insecurity. I am proud to belong to this community.”’
Heather, the Stewardship Volunteer Supervisor, raves about her team.
‘It is such a beautiful thing to have a front row seat to community members giving the gift of their time engaging with other community members who give financial gifts to support food security in our community! Working with Rebecca, Fatima and Hannah is a joy. Their commitment and enthusiasm are outstanding, and my hope is that our supporters’ days are brightened when they receive a call, voicemail or email from our stewardship volunteers.
As we continue to advocate and meet community needs for healthy, sustainable food for all, our work is strengthened by our dedicated volunteers.
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