The Agency Advisory Committee (AAC) is a group of your peers within the Feeding America San Diego (FASD) network of agencies, who act as representatives for each region of the county. The goal of the AAC is to create opportunities for partnership and collaboration among FASD partner agencies within the anti-hunger community. The AAC seeks to improve the understanding of customer profiles in order to acquire and distribute better and more nutritious food to the community. It provides an effective flow of information between agencies and FASD to properly resolve partner agency issues. The Committee acts as a sounding board for partner agencies across the county to ensure all feedback, comments, and suggestions are taken back to FASD and considered, creating a collective effort to ensure FASD and the network of partner agencies are working effectively and efficiently to alleviate hunger in the San Diego community.
Learn more about your AAC below:
Angela Kretschmar
Director of Church Community Relations
New Seasons Church
East County
Angela Kretschmar, from New Seasons Church and Heaven’s Windows, represents the East County San Diego FASD network of agencies. Angela has been the Director of Church Community Relations at New Seasons Church for 6 years.New Seasons Church is located in Spring Valley serving communities in East County. New Seasons provides services including: Emergency Food Pantry, weekly hot meals, SNAP pre-screening assistance, Summer Food Service Program, Clothes Closet distribution, Community Food distribution, MS Support Group, Senior Commodities Distribution site, Mentoring, and Community Service Hours. Angela is also the Executive Director of Heaven’s Windows, a non-profit organization operating the services offered by the church to the community. She coordinates the Season of Love Community Block Party at New Seasons Church which distributes free turkeys, groceries, hot lunch, free clothes, live music and community resources to families during the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Angela is a member of the Spring Valley Family and Youth Coalition, Mt. Miguel Covenant Village Advisory Community, Monte Vista Community Cares Network, and the CalFresh Task Force.
Please contact Angela at: eastcountysd@feedingamerica.org
Joshua Cohen
Food Drive and Distribution Specialist
Jewish Family Service, Hand Up Youth Food pantry
Central San Diego
Josh Cohen represents the Central San Diego FASD network of agencies. Josh is the Food Drive and Distribution Specialist for the Hand Up Youth Food Pantry at Jewish Family Service (JFS). He has been with the organization nearly 1 year. The Hand Up Youth Food Pantry at JFS serves the homeless, low-income, and military families at 12 distribution sites across San Diego County. Along with its teen leadership boards, Hand Up aims to provide a hand-up not just a hand out, by providing not just food, but also access to many other social services offered by JFS.Josh holds a B.A. in Psychology from Marymount Manhattan College. When Josh is not working to make the world a better place he enjoys brewing beer, wearing Chuck Taylors, and reading.
Please contact Josh at: centralsandiego1sd@feedingamerica.org
Bonnie Stone
Program Director
Salvation Army Back Country
Rural East County
Bonnie Stone represents the Rural East County FASD network of agencies. She is a native of San Diego’s East County and grew up recognizing the importance of giving back to her community. Bonnie graduated from Granite Hills High School in El Cajon and worked in the fields of radio, child development, and real estate before joining the respected community service organization, the Salvation Army in 2003. Bonnie serves as the Program Director for Rural East San Diego County, for the Salvation Army’s Sierra del Mar Division. In this capacity Bonnie organizes and distributes food and basic living necessities for an area measured at over 2,500 square miles, including the rural communities of Campo, Descanso, Jacumba, Pine Valley and Alpine. She is responsible for assisting low-income families and providing crucial social service needs, with an estimated distribution of 5,000 pounds of food per month. In addition to her position within the Salvation Army, Bonnie is also on the Emergency Disaster Services of the Salvation Army, which is tasked with providing critical relief for emergency and fire victims, including assisting with shelter, food and post-disaster recovery. In addition to her serving the community through her profession, Bonnie has participated in the San Diego East County Toy and Food Drive since the mid 1990’s and helped to continue the efforts of her father, who founded the Toy and Food Drive in the 1970’s. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the children’s non-profit, Stoney’s Kids, which aims to better the lives, health, and education of thousands of East San Diego County children. Bonnie currently sits on the Mountain Empire collaborative Committee, designed to address the needs and concerns of some of San Diego’s most rural communities
Please contact Bonnie at: eastruralsd@feedingamerica.org
Rev. M.A. Mac Collins
Rector
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Downtown Area, Central San Diego
Reverend M.A. "Mac" Collins, PhD is the Rector or Pastor of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in City Heights, Central San Diego. He represents Downtown, Central San Diego’s FASD network of agencies. St. Mark’s collaborates with many community based services to provide for the needs of the City Heights community. St. Mark’s works with Feeding America San Diego and the Food Justice Mobility Task Force of Mid City CAN to provide food assistance to those whom are food insecure. St Mark’s is a center for refugee tutoring programs and other programs that work to educate victims of human trafficking. Mac has a doctorate in Philosophical Theology and has been an Episcopal Priest for 25 years.
Please contact Mac at: centralsandiego2sd@feedingamerica.org
Sheri Briggs
Founder and President
Bridge of Hope SD
City Heights, Central San Diego
Sheri Briggs represents City Heights, Central San Diego FASD network of agencies. She serves as Founder and President the non-profit agency, Bridge of Hope SD located in City Heights. Bridge of Hope's mission is to help families in transition. The agency operates an emergency food pantry, offers SNAP pre-screening assistance, and hosts a monthly Community Food Distribution (CFD). Bridge of Hope is a supplier of furniture, other necessary household items, as well as clothing. The agency works with families leaving shelters, both homeless and domestic violence, as well as the refugee community, the elderly, single parents, and anybody else who is in need of help. Those in need are referred by other local social service agencies and through Saturday outreaches. Bridge of Hope is also a partner agency working with Goodwill to provide jobs and job training. Bridge of hope has four major events each year. The largest is a Christmas event where Christmas trees and toys are provided to in-need families. Bridge of Hope's goal is to be a bridge for those in need, both spiritually and practically, to help them through difficult circumstances in order to allow them to achieve self-sustainability. Sheri Briggs is the recipient of the 10 News Leadership Award in 2010.
Please contact Sheri at: centralsandiego3sd@feedingamerica.org
Cindy M. Shaw
Life Acts Coordinator
Life Christian Center, Life Acts
South County
Cindy M. Shaw, Life Acts Coordinator, represents the South County FASD network of agencies. Cindy has served in Life Acts, a community outreach of Life Christian Center, for the past 5 years. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Theology & Psychology with a concentration in Urban Studies. Cindy was the departmental award recipient in the field of Psychology for class of 2004 at Spring Arbor University. She was also listed on numerous occasions in Who's Who and received Superior Performance awards as a Residential Advisor at San Diego Job Corps. Cindy is involved in the South Bay Homeless Advocacy Coalition & Faith Advisory Council with the city of Chula Vista. Life Acts feeds over 6,000 clients monthly providing deli, dairy, produce, bread, and more! Food assistance is provided through three weekly distributions. Typically clients are referred by 211, local social service agencies, and Saturday outreaches. Life Acts has four quarterly events; the largest is Back2School Outreach, where 500 backpacks, school supplies, food, tennis shoes, bicycles, and prizes are distributed to the community. Life Acts takes God's love and life resources to help people overcome poverty, addictions, brokenness, & hopelessness.
Please contact Cindy at: southcountysd@feedingamerica.org
Jerry Morgan
Director of Basic Needs
Interfaith Community Services
North County
Jerry Morgan represents the North County FASD network of agencies. After achieving a MBA in International Business, a successful sales career with computer software, and a brief retirement, Jerry began volunteering at both the North County Food Bank and the Soup Kitchen at Interfaith Community Services. Subsequently, Jerry officially joined the Interfaith Community Services team as the Director of Basic Needs nearly 5 years ago. In this capacity, Jerry has been responsible for addressing the growing hunger needs of marginalized individuals in North County. In serving North county communities, Jerry runs a large Soup Kitchen, Food Pantry, and networks with many other social service agencies.
Please contact Jerry at: northcountysd@feedingamerica.org