Work with variety of people helps food bank director

By Kaye Hult

Over the seven years Darrell Rickard has been program manager, he has appreciated how the Community Action Partnership (CAP) food bank serves the city and Idaho area.

He seeks to break through to those who may judge people who use food banks.

He invites those with preconceptions about people who come to food banks, "Come, see for yourself."

Working through his career and volunteering in the community—in a printing business, as an EMT, in city planning and in charge of school transportation—has connected him with a variety of people.

"Our food bank is a big, happy family," he said, describing the staff, volunteers, donors, community partners and clients as a family.

In addition to working in the food bank, Darrell distributes food to 25 different food banks in North Idaho, from Bonners Ferry to St. Maries.

"We're a hub for the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the food banks I deliver to, I do the same things as here," he said.

Working with different food banks, he sees varied styles of operation.

"Our food bank is easy to access," he said. "We don't have a big intake procedure. We ask clients to register, but do not require proof of identity or residency. We don't turn anyone away."

Darrell, who grew up in Spokane and graduated from Rogers High School in 1977, began his career in a check printing business. He moved to a management position by the time he was 20 and has continued in management positions since then.

When the check printing business closed, he moved to Oregon for two years to study printing at Portland Community College.

About 30 years ago, he and his wife, Tammy, moved to Rathdrum to start Twin Lakes Print Company.

Along with that work, Darrell began to serve in the community, volunteering as a fireman and EMT.

He then became involved with the City of Rathdrum, first as a planning and zoning commissioner for six years, and then with the Rathdrum City Council for another six years.

When he closed the printing business, he began working as transportation supervisor with the Lakeland School District, a job that kept him serving the community.

Overseeing the bus garage meant working with parents, bus drivers, kids and teachers, making sure each felt heard and respected.

He felt responsible to keep their kids safe for their parents. He felt responsible to teachers to transport healthy kids to school on time. Because the buses moved throughout the community, he made sure the bus drivers and vehicles provided safe transportation.

After about 20 years with the school district, Darrell was ready for a change and learned that CAP had a job opening.

"I have to have an open mind because we deal with so many different people as clients and volunteers—including those doing court-ordered community service," said Darrell.

With much government paperwork and inspections to assure the operation is clean and food is safe, Darrell seeks to run the food bank efficiently with two staff and about 50 volunteers.

"The volunteers are amazing. I thank them for the work they do, and they thank me right back for allowing them to do it," he said.

In addition to staff and volunteers, Darrell fosters good relationships with donors and community partners.

"They need to see the pride we have in the way we present the food they provide to our clients," he said.

In addition, many companies and schools come into the CAP food bank to do community projects. When CAP receives donations of several hundred pounds at once, he needs extra volunteers to help sort it.

"We also have a community garden out back," said Darrell, who manages it but has a master gardener to tend it.

"Groups come in to clean up and turn over the garden plots in the spring for a project," he said. "We've gathered as much as 2,000 pounds of produce from it in some seasons."

Given the variety of people with whom he has interacted over the years, Darrell developed his ability to avoid judging people.

"I seek not to be judgmental. The more I find out about people, the more I appreciate how interesting they are," he commented. "I learn from their differences and find them enlightening."

For information, call 208-770-3018 or email d.rickard@cap4action.org.