Ruth Baker sits on a stack of egg crates by the refrigerator in the back room of the United Food Bank of Plant City.
It’s her favorite spot to rest.
From her perch, she can monitor the back door and another internal door. She also can see her younger sister, Eva Almon, marking bread and bagging food.
Baker and Almon may be the most dedicated volunteers in Plant City. Both in their 80s, the sisters work nearly every day the food bank is open. In fact, the only days they miss are for the 11-day Florida Strawberry Festival. And it’s not because they’re busy munching on strawberry shortcake. They volunteer there, too.
“We get such a satisfaction in helping people,” Baker said.
Since the food bank opened in 2003, the sisters have volunteered. Baker saw an advertisement asking for volunteers. She visited the facility and met former director Linda Lawson.
After two weeks of working at the food bank, Baker recruited Almon.
“I love it,” Almon said. “It’s good.”
The sisters usually show up about 30 minutes before their four-hour shift starts to prepare for the day. They mark the bread, sort cans, rotate the food and prepare the bags of food, along with about 15 other volunteers.
They also man the back door, talk with clients about their household needs and hand bags of food to customers. Of course, they have help from some of the younger high school boys when they need assistance lifting food or bags.
“They’re amazing at the back door,” Executive Director Christine Miller said. “A good balance of sweetness and toughness. We couldn’t do it without them.”
What happens at the back door is what really motivates the sisters. There, they interact directly with the clients.
Baker recounts numerous times, when elderly clients have come to the food bank for help, after they no longer can receive food stamps.
“They get their food, and tears well up in their eyes,” Baker said.
“They have to go home with that,” Miller said of the emotional strain.
But the sisters don’t seem to mind.
“You’ve got the headache part,” Baker said, teasing Miller. “We’ve got the fun part.”
Each bag of food is about 70 pounds and depends on the household size. The food bank serves about 50 clients daily. The numbers are triple last year’s totals over the same time period. Generally, the summer is slower.
“We just learn to speed up,” Baker said.
Baker always has enjoyed volunteering. Before the food bank, she worked in the lunchroom at Robinson Elementary. It was actually Almon who invited her to work the front gate at the Florida Strawberry Festival decades ago.
The sisters are originally from Toccoa, Ga. Ruth moved in 1945, to Dade City, to work at Pasco Packing. After Almon got married, she, too, moved to the area from Georgia.
“They’re really a pleasure,” Miller said.
Miller assumed her position as executive director last summer.
“Someone had to show me how to do it, how everything works,” Miller said. “And it was them.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
HOW TO HELP
Ruth Baker and Eva Almon are exemplary volunteers. So much so United Food Bank of Plant City Executive Director Christine Miller wishes she could clone them.
“We need more volunteers like them,” Miller said. “We need someone to work in the office and a volunteer coordinator.”
Miller is looking for dedicated people with big hearts, who can work a steady amount of time each week.
A lot of volunteers are high school students looking for a one day a week shift to fulfill scholarship requirements.
The students do a fantastic job, but during the fall, Miller needs more steady workers.
If you’re interested, contact the bank at (813) 764-0625 or visit ufbpc.biz/Home_Page.php.