Congratulations to Margie Tomczak, who was named Non-Truck Volunteer of the Year at Second Helpings’ Hilton Head Volunteer Appreciation Event on Tuesday, October 1.
“Margie has been the coordinator for Fill the Need at the Palmetto Breeze bus depot since 2017. On a weekly basis, she ensures there are enough volunteers to hand out food and makes sure there are plenty of food varieties for the bus riders from frozen meat selections to fresh produce, canned items, breads and bakery goods. Many times she has gone to the grocery stores to purchase items when the shelves are low in stock or if the food trucks did not deliver enough food. She also makes sure the riders have hams for Easter, and turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Margie is truly committed to her responsibility to the riders. They benefit from her attention to detail and ensuring the volunteers know and adhere to their assigned tasks. It is an under-appreciated role!”
Friday, October 10 will mark the seventh anniversary of Fill the Need, which is a collaboration between Palmetto Breeze Transit and Second Helpings. Every Thursday, Margie and her team set up a farmer’s market-style food pantry in the Palmetto Breeze bus depot in Bluffton. Commuters riding the buses to and from work on Hilton Head and in Bluffton are welcomed to take food home for themselves and their families. These commuters ride up to two hours each way, and food sources may not be open by the time they get home.