Feeding the Hunger to Serve
Barb Packer is many things: a seasoned businesswoman, a committed church member, and (as of May 6) a proud Capital graduate.
Capital has already had a profound effect on Barb's life. And the things she's learned at Capital have already benefited hundreds of hungry families across Central Ohio.
College Dreams Deferred
"I'd wanted to go to Capital ever since I was in high school," Barb remembers. "But back then, my family couldn't afford it."
Making the best of the situation, Barb enrolled at Columbus Technical Institute (CTI) and got an associate's degree in business administration. Over the next 33 years, she rose through the ranks at Sears to become a senior manager.
But something was missing in her professional life: a sense of purpose.
Breaking Away
"One day I just said to myself, 'I've had enough of this.' I knew this was my opportunity to figure out what I really wanted to do," Barb explains. So she quit her job and set about finding a new one.
In the meantime, Barb signed on as a volunteer at Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio (LSSCO). As she took orders and stocked shelves at the agency's food pantry, she never suspected the turns her life was about to take.
A Leap of Faith
Barb's job hunt was an eye-opening experience. "Many of my interviewers were half my age," she recalls ruefully. "They kept asking me what kind of degree I had. So I figured I'd better go back and get my bachelor's."
In 2002, she finally enrolled at Capital as an adult learner. Barb chose Capital for several reasons. Its foundation in Lutheran values appealed to her spiritual side. It had a good academic reputation. And it accepted all her transfer credits from CTI. "I needed to get in, get out and start utilizing my degree quickly," says Barb.
A Supportive Atmosphere
Thirty-six years is a long time to be away from the classroom. But the support Barb got at Capital helped her conquer her fears. "My faculty adviser, Joan Easton, was one of the neatest people I've ever met," Barb says. "I can never thank her enough for her encouragement and involvement in my education." For adult learners, Barb says, that personal relationship is crucial. "We need more hand-holding than traditional students," she admits.
Barb's family and friends were there for her as well. Two college-age nieces offered study tips and steered her toward helpful online resources. A friend from church proofread her papers. Before long, Barb started to relax and relish the academic experience.
She especially liked classes that had both adult learners and traditional undergraduates. "We have experience; the young students have enthusiasm and an understanding of theory. There's a neat interchange of ideas," she observes.
When the time came for Barb to narrow her academic focus, she chose business administration/marketing and religion. As it happened, she had positioned herself perfectly for her next career move.
Opportunity Knocks
In the spring of 2003, seven months after quitting her job, Barb learned LSSCO had an opening for the director of Food Pantry Services. She was quick to apply, and her people skills and enthusiasm quickly landed her the job.
Barb got a crash course in how food banks are run. Over the past 4–5 years, she learned, small pantries across the country have started giving their clients control over the kinds of food they receive. Instead of macaroni and cheese, soup or spaghetti, people can opt for fresh produce, rice, beans, milk and meat. Shopping takes place with the help of volunteers, who suggest tasty recipes and ways to create a balanced diet.
Fascinated by this concept, Barb decided to make it the subject of her senior thesis: Food Distribution to the Needy Can Offer Dignity. "There was almost no scholarly research out there about food pantries, and client choice food pantries in particular," says Barb.
LSSCO's large Columbus food pantry – located in a renovated south side supermarket – was operating on a pre-filled bag model. But Barb was bursting with ideas about how to change that.
"A Resource Center with Food as a Draw"
In Barb's mind, food aid was just part of what her pantry should provide. "After pantry hours end, we will eventually be using that space to hold classes on budgeting, nutrition and other life skills," she says. At the pantry, clients will also be able to access Benefit Bank, a Web-based tool that makes it easier for families to apply for food stamps and other forms of assistance.
"Our ultimate goal," Barb explains, "is to move a segment of the population from dependency to self-sufficiency."
LSSCO was so impressed by Barb's ideas they're spending $300,000 to make them happen. The plan is to roll out the concept to all the agency's southeastern and Central Ohio pantries … and to build a template that pantries across the country can adapt to their own needs.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Barb is clear about the value of her Capital experience. "It was a really exciting three years of my life," she says. "All that critical thinking … you start to question things you used to just accept. And you become a better communicator." As Barb writes grants and develops new programs, she draws on the writing skills she's learned at Capital.
What's next on the horizon? "I may someday go to Trinity Seminary to get a degree in lay ministry," Barb says. For now, she is ministering to the needs of the hungry. And with her knowledge, creativity and determination, she's making her presence felt.