Amy Pezzani, CEO of the Food Bank of Larimer County, poses for a photo at the food bank in Loveland on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)
When Amy Pezzani graduated from college in 1995, she enrolled in the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program hoping to make some money off her student loan payments. Little did she know that her first job at Ozarks Harvest Food Bank in Springfield, Missouri, would propel her toward a lifelong commitment to making a difference in her community.
Nearly three decades later, Pezzani is celebrating his 20th anniversary as CEO of the Larimer County Food Bank, which provided meals to more than 40,000 people in the area last year.
During her tenure as CEO, Pezzani has spearheaded new nutrition programs, opened a fresh produce store in Loveland and led the nonprofit through unprecedented times. The CEO says the job has been challenging but extremely rewarding.
“For over 20 years, I’ve come to work and I leave work every day knowing that we’ve literally helped hundreds, maybe thousands, of people,” she said. “I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished for our community.”
The Reporter-Herald recently interviewed Pezzani about his experience with the Larimer County Food Bank and his vision for food banking efforts over the next 20 years.
Looking back over the past 20 years, what have been the most notable changes in the food insecurity and food banking landscape?
There have been steps forward and steps back. Over the past 20 years, food banks across the country have recognized the connection between nutrition and health and have shifted their focus to nutrition and health. As a result, the amount of fresh food passing through our network has increased dramatically. A very positive change has been the focus on customer experience. Today, more and more food pantries are set up as “customer choice” marketplaces. They are not pantries that hand food seekers a box of shelf-stable food and give them no choice about what products they receive. We understand that food preferences are important to the customer experience. Unfortunately, another big change is that families have come to rely on charitable food as a coping strategy to mitigate rising housing, food, and medical costs. Today, we have become more of a coping strategy than an emergency safety net.
Can you describe a moment or project that exemplified the food bank’s mission and had a lasting impact on you personally?
There is one project and moment that stands out in my memory. It was a very proud moment for me when we moved to our new distribution center in May 2018. Between May 2016 and May 2018, we purchased a building, conducted a feasibility study, launched a fundraising campaign, raised over $7 million, packed up and moved a 28,000 square foot building, and managed the entire project to move on time and on budget. In 2020, we closed the $9.2 million campaign and are now operating out of a debt-free building. The defining moment for me was when we had to completely pivot our operations in about 24 hours in March 2020 and figure out how to provide food in a drive-thru delivery model. That we were able to do that is a testament to our incredibly smart team and the dedication of our staff and volunteers. We knew people were scared, especially those who were relying on us for food. So it was imperative for me and my team to pivot quickly and effectively.
What has been the most unexpected outcome of an initiative or program you launched at the food bank?
At the beginning of the pandemic, many donors came forward to help the food bank. At the same time, local farmers were in an incredibly difficult situation. They had planted crops in hopes of selling them at farmers’ markets. The markets couldn’t open, and that was a devastating blow to them. The increase in support we received allowed us to step in and buy produce from them. We hoped that this would provide our clients with an incredibly nutritious and fresh food source, but what we didn’t expect was that we were a lifeline to some of these farmers and without our support they would have gone out of business. It was a gift to be able to feed our clients while supporting the local economy with local donations, and we have since created a program called Veg Out to continue purchasing from local farms.
How do you deal with the emotional and psychological aspects of working in a field that deals with a critical human need like food security?
I think it all depends on how you frame the question. Sure, it can be hard. But the flip side of that is that the work that I’ve been doing every day for 20 years has had a lasting and significant impact on literally thousands of people. Our community would be a very different place without food banks. No matter how bad your day, it doesn’t change the fact that people who need food get food. I don’t think most people feel that way about their work. So if you look at it that way, the emotional and psychological aspects are actually very positive.
What is your vision for the next 20 years for the Larimer County Food Bank?
Ideally, policy changes at the state and/or federal level, coupled with rising wages and housing stability, will reduce the need for charitable food and the demand on food banks today. Additionally, we hope that the connection between food and health, especially as it pertains to chronic illness, will continue to move food banks and healthcare together. We also see a continued focus on customer experience to make accessing food as convenient and easy as possible.
