WORKING TO WIPE OUT HUNGER

Mission & Vision

Our Daily Bread Food Pantry exists to share the love of God by reducing hunger and building relationships in our community. Our goal is to offer nourishing food choices, encouragement, and hope.

Working to wipe out hunger in Marco Island and Naples, we engage daily with families who are experiencing food insecurity. Our programs reach individuals where they are,  physically and geographically. By offering healthy food choices and connecting with Partners to fulfill needs beyond food, we are fulfilling our vision to eliminate hunger in our community.

THE NEED IS GREAT AND THE MISSION IS GREATER

History

2022

Our Daily Bread Food Pantry - 2022 Timeline Photo - Groceries in Cart
2022 & Into the Future
2022 continues in the growth of our numbers served and we project 190,000 to be served this year. We added another mobile outreach at Lely High School, close to the Naples Manor area. We began our School Breakfast outreach for students at one school. We were again recognized in March 2022 with the Celebration of Philanthropy Harvey Kapnick Award from Collier Community Foundation. In April the pantry received the Spirit of Marco Award from the Noontime Rotary organization and Most Dedicated Food Poverty Alleviation Organization – Southwest Florida from Acquisition International.
2021 brought about our continued growth and we served over 152,000 pantry Guests. It was also our first year to have a corporate audit, we purchased our first refrigerated truck, and installed a generator for our Marco location to ensure we do not lose food in the event of power outages due to hurricanes, etc. We added another mobile outreach at Naples Botanical Gardens in the Bayshore area.

2021

Our Daily Bread Food Pantry - 2021 Timeline Photo - New Refrigerated Truck

2020

Our Daily Bread Food Pantry - 2020 Timeline Photo - Man Loading Trunk
2020 was significant in many ways - we established our first website, set up our first Donor Management system, and implemented all the new processes called for by the pandemic. Our numbers served ballooned to 115,606 in 2020! Additionally, we installed our walk-in freezer and refrigerator. In June 2020 ODBFP received the Unsung Heroes Award from Sunrise Rotary Club of Marco Island. We began our School Backpack outreaches for students at three schools.
2019 was focused on developing our strategic plans and vision of "Working to Wipe Out Hunger" while serving 27,565 people. We bought our first box truck for food pickup and delivery.

2019

Mobile Food Pantry East Naples Quest With Food Bag | Our Daily Bread Food Pantry Marco Island

2018

Preparing New Volunteer | Our Daily Bread Food Pantry Marco Island
Continuing to Help
The Pantry again needed more space and overtook the entire Annex building. Simultaneously, the Mobile Pantries were launched thanks to a growing network of Partners committed to working to wipe out hunger in the community. The number of guests grew to 26,600 through both the brick and mortar Pantry and Mobile Pantries.
Growth
The Pantry had outgrown the closet and occupied part of the Annex building on Winterberry Drive. Additionally, two key events occurred propelling Pantry services further into the community. First, Hurricane Irma made a direct hit on Marco Island, causing widespread damage. As one of the only local organizations equipped with resources immediately after the storm, the Pantry provided food, ice and water when it was hard to find anywhere else.  Salvation Army called upon us for advice as to where to position their canteens. Meanwhile, The Harry Chapin Food Bank made a 10,000 lb. delivery to the Pantry a couple of days after the hurricane. This critical delivery allowed us to feed and help thousands of first responders, police, fire and other disaster relief workers during the recovery. The same year, we launched “Lunch with Friends” to engage and serve the over 60 years old population in the area who have need for food, provision, socializing and more. 

2017

(2017) Food Pantry Growth | Our Daily Bread Food Pantry Marco Island
The Story Begins
A Marco Island teacher told a group of women that her students came to school hungry on Monday morning after not having food over the weekend. Our five women founders came together and decided to help by providing food stuffed bags on Fridays to send home with students in need. Shortly after, a closet in a local church began being used as an emergency food resource. Between the school and closet, what became known as Our Daily Bread Food Pantry assisted 3600 children and individuals with food. While we still operate the Backpack Program, we have expanded exponentially. 

2016

Food Pantry Registration | Our Daily Bread Food Pantry Marco Island

Board

Our Daily Bread Board of Directors Chair Allyson Richards | About Us
Board of Directors Chair

Allyson Richards

Allyson grew up in Marlton, NJ attended Slippery Rock State College in PA where she majored in Psychology. Moved to Texas when she was 19 to finish college at Texas A & M Commerce with a degree in Human Resources and Operations Management.  She later furthered her education through post-graduate work in HR at the University of Texas at Arlington and University of Phoenix.

Allyson’s career began in diverse business areas such as the oil fields of Oklahoma and West Texas as Safety and HR Director, the Homebuilding industry and finally, the last 20 years of her career were in the Healthcare Financial space where she was the senior executive of Human Resources for a large international corporation saying grace over approximately 8,000 people. Her specialty was domestic and international employment law and relations.

Allyson received her lifetime Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation in 1989.  She also received her Managed Healthcare Professional (MHP) designation as well as a certified management instructor for numerous courses and Certified Payroll Professional designation.

Her first husband, Jerry, died of cancer and she was a single Mom of a 5 and 15-year-old for about 7 years before she met Marco Islander Jim Richards, who had lost his wife to the same disease. They have 6 children between them.  Allyson is currently on the Board of the Marco Island Charter Middle School, a member of the Community Foundation of Collier County, the Women’s Foundation, the Finance Committee for San Marco Catholic Church, a member of CCW, a board member of the Marco Island Historical Society, Christmas Island Style, assists with the Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, is a co-leader of the monthly senior Luncheon entitled “Lunch with Our Friends Over 60”, and a member of the Marco Island Park and Recreation Board. Additionally, she coordinates a “bread run” through the YMCA and weekly mobile food pantries (in conjunction with the Our Daily Bread Food Pantry) both on and off the island.

Since moving to Marco Island, she has been honored with the Spirit of Marco award, the Volunteer of the Year award and the Women of Initiative Award for the Community Foundation of Collier County.

Executive Director

Evelyn Rossetti-Ryan, EdD

A New Haven, Connecticut native, Evelyn has dedicated her career to causes she believes in. Evelyn focuses on positively impacting her community and utilizing her diverse skill set to serve the children and families of Collier County.

She has served in leadership positions for several nonprofit and educational organizations, including Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES), the Thyroid, Head and Neck Cancer (THANC) Foundation, the Children’s Museum of the Arts, and the Museum of the City of New York. Before joining Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, Evelyn was instrumental in establishing the SWFL Health and Wellness Coalition. The Coalition served Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties and focused on food access and nutrition, active living, health systems, behavioral health, and community health.

Evelyn earned a Doctor of Education degree in Educational. Administration/Organizational Leadership and a Master of Arts degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in French and Elementary Education from Columbia University. A lifelong learner, in 2021, Evelyn successfully completed Yale University’s School of Management Women’s Leadership program.

While in Connecticut, she served as the Vice Chair of the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, where she strengthened connections between the education and business sectors. Additionally, Evelyn served on the New Haven board of Junior Achievement for Southwest New England and was Vice President of the National Organization of Italian American Women’s Connecticut chapter.

Evelyn has been recognized for her professional and community contributions throughout her career. In 2021, the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce awarded her the Excellence in Advocacy Award. Her greatest professional and personal honor was when the Italian government knighted her Cavaliere dell’Ordine Della Stella Della Solidarieta Italiana in recognition of her work promoting cultural, educational, and commercial exchanges between Italy and the United States.

Our Daily Bread President Nancy Kot | About Us
Vice Chair

Nancy Kot

Hailing originally from Massena, NY, Nancy held a variety of Engineering and Executive Management positions with Alcoa, Inc. and Kodak in New York, Indiana, Tennessee and Georgia.  Her education includes a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University and a Master of Arts degree in Applied Behavioral Science from Bastyr University.

Joining Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, Inc. in June, 2016 after retiring, Nancy currently serves as President of this volunteer organization that has seen a growth of over 400% in the last 2 years.  Nancy is a member of San Marco Catholic Church and Catholic Coalition of Women (CCW) and is co-founder of “Lunch with Friends”, a monthly luncheon bringing together restaurants, civic organizations, churches, Seniors seeking socialization, and the food pantry.
Our Daily Bread Founder Liz Pecora | About Us
Board Member

Liz Pecora

As a Founder and Vice President of the Pantry, Liz Pecora draws upon her corporate executive experience to communicate the mission of working to wipe out hunger in the greater community. Before moving to Florida, Liz held positions with Delta Airlines and the hotel and hospitality industry, working in national sales and marketing. Known for her caring demeanor and focus, Liz is recognized for her ability to engage the community to build a greater community both at the Pantry and in Collier County.

In 2016, Liz was one of the founding members of Our Daily Bread Food Pantry and had co-led the continual expansion of the pantry over the past several years. Together with the other founders, she was recognized as Marco Island Civic Association’s 2017 Humanitarian of the Year award. 

Liz’s passion for providing food assistance to anyone in need began when she was widowed and in need. Receiving food from her church’s food pantry with love and dignity helped her get back into the employment market. It was such a blessing for Liz that she vowed if, given the opportunity, she would someday be a part of hunger relief activities. That opportunity came in late 2015 with the creation of Our Daily Bread Food Pantry.

In addition to her work with the Pantry in hunger relief, Liz currently serves as Treasurer of the Collier Disaster Alliance (CDA), formed after Hurricane Irma, to maximize the effectiveness of relief efforts in dealing with future natural disasters. In 2022 Liz was certified as a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem. She and her husband serve as volunteer advocates for children in the 20th Judicial Circuit- Collier County, FL.

Our Daily Bread Treasurer Ron Saffin | About Us
Treasurer

Ron Saffin

Ron was born and raised in Upstate New York and attended the State University of NY at Albany earning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in accounting, becoming a Certified Public Accountant in 1974.  He started his career with the accounting firm of KPMG and later continued his career with the State of New York managing and directing Accounting and Auditing Departments at various State agencies for the next thirty years.   He also served as an Adjunct Professor at Siena College in Loudonville, NY as an instructor of Intermediate Accounting.  Ron served as an officer in the New York Army National Guard, retiring in 1979.  Following retirement from NYS service in 2004, Ron and his wife Vicki moved to Marco Island where he started a CPA practice.

Along with his volunteer work with the Food Pantry, Ron is a Member of the San Marco Catholic Church and serves as a Eucharistic Minister.  He has been a member of the San Marco Knights of Columbus for the last 16 years, currently serving as Treasurer for the Council and Faithful Purser for the Assembly. Ron is also the Assistant Treasurer and a Board member for the Marco Island Historical Society.
Our Daily Bread Board Member Albert Benarroch | About Us
Board Member

Albert Benarroch

Albert Benarroch was raised in Chicago and feels blessed to call Marco Island his home.  He lives here with his wife Yvette, and their 2 children Zachary (17) and Danny (15) and their two golden retrievers named Rocky and Lucky. Al and his wife Yvette are the proud owners of Affordable Landscaping Service & Design, LLC; a business that has been serving the Marco Island community since 1996 and specializes in landscape design, landscape maintenance, tree trimming, irrigation design & repairs, paver installation, fertilization and pest control services.  Al has over 46 years of experience in the landscaping industry. His passion is helping his clients discover how they can beautify their landscape, creating that unique outdoor space and connecting with customers throughout the landscaping projects. Al also loves being able to provide customers true value through both the relationship and the level of service Affordable Landscaping Service & Design, LLC provides. Al and his wife Yvette believe that nothing is more rewarding than giving back to the community, so they always make time to get involved with groups and organizations that help the community and those in need. Al is Vice President of Manatee Rifle & Archery Club and Past 2nd Vice President of JCMI. Al enjoys helping others, fishing, hunting, traveling and spending time with his family.

Tarik Ayasun - Our Daily Bread Food Pantry Board Member
Board Member

Tarik Ayasun

Born April 18, 1949, in Istanbul, Turkey

University of Maryland 1969-1973

Military Service 1975-1976

Became U.S. Citizen 1977

Married to Janice for 50 wonderful years.

Son Jerol, Daughter Suzi,

Grandchildren Colin, Olivia, David, Danika.

Started Taray International Corporation in 1979.

Celebrating 44 years in business this year.

Involved in International trade for 48 years.

Marco Island Resident since 1986

Served on various civic organizations on Marco Island.

President Marco Island Chamber of Commerce 1994

Leadership Collier Class of 1994.

Marco Island Rotary Club President 2018

Marco Island Charter Middle School Board member 1999-2018 and President 2018-2022.

Forum Club of Collier County Board of directors 1994 – 2007

Marco Island Police Foundation Board, Treasurer  2006-2023

Marco Island Code Enforcement Board Chairman 2007 – 2010

Physicians Regional Hospital Board of Trustees 2013 – Present

LCEC Board of Trustees, Member 2019 – Present

Collier County Code Enforcement Board 2021 – Present

“Lifetime Achievement Award for Service to Community” by the Marco Island Chamber of Commerce 2012.

Rotary Club “Spirit of Marco Award” 2015

Board Member

Mark Muedeking

Mark was born in Minnesota.  He received a BA from St. John’s University, a law degree from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master of Laws from Georgetown University.  He started his law career as a federal prosecutor in Washington, DC, before moving to private practice at the Washington office of a global law firm with offices in 40 countries on 6 continents.  In private practice, he represented major US and International corporations in corporate, tax, and securities matters.

He took a leave of absence from his law firm to serve as the Managing Director and General Counsel of the United States Olympic Committee and has extensive experience in amateur and professional sports governance, including as an arbitrator for the AAA, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, and professional sports leagues.

He has advised and served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations.  For eight years, he served as board chair of the Standards for Excellence Institute, which develops and maintains national standards for the governance and operation of nonprofit organizations.

He retired from the active practice of law in 2021.  Since retirement, he has been one of our “Heavy Lifters” and “Cart Runners” and feels blessed to work with our terrific team of dedicated and hard-working volunteers.  He recently joined our Grant Team.

He also volunteers at Grace Place and currently serves as a high school student mentor and member of the Faith Counsel.  He is a member of Marco Lutheran Church, where he serves as a Lay Minister, Usher, member of the Board of Lay Ministry, and sings in the choir.

Board Member

Michael Murphy

Skills Summary
Worked in Public Service with Municipal, County, and State Agencies for over 50 Years

Education
Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration

Experience
Name of Employer
City of Miramar Fire Rescue
– Firefighter Paramedic, Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Chief, Chief
– Fire Rescue Department, Building, Planning Zoning under Fire Rescue control  1971-2001

City of Marco Island Fire Rescue
– Fire Rescue Chief   2001-2020

Civic and Professional Associations
Florida Fire Chiefs Board of Directors
State of Florida Emergency Response Commission
Rotary
Kiwanis
Marco Island Fire Rescue Foundation
Marco Island Civic Association Board of Directors
Marco Dementia Respite Caregiver Facilitator

Our Financials

501 (C) (3) Information  |  Our Daily Bread Food Pantry is a Florida-registered 501 (C) (3) organization  |  All donations are tax-deductible.