While most of our drivers are staff, a few remarkable individuals, like Bill Foster, volunteer their time to help deliver for God's Pantry Food Bank. This Truck Driver Appreciation Month, we're honoring Bill, who has supported our mission for nearly 20 years as a volunteer driver.
Bill's story starts with a career at UPS. He retired in 2000 at 51 and soon found a new way to spend his time. Wayne Wesley, a God's Pantry Food Bank board member at the time, had worked alongside Bill on several Habitat for Humanity builds and invited him to get involved. "I've been doing it ever since," Bill says.
For Bill, volunteering is a way of saying thank you. "I was very blessed to retire at 51 years old, and this is my way of repaying the blessings I've received." He has always loved to drive, and he shares that gift widely, from church buses to volunteering with the Salvation Army. "It's just my way of giving back."
Over the years, Bill has made the trip to Prestonsburg three or four times, and one delivery stands out. A couple of years ago, while distributing Thanksgiving boxes, a woman pulled up in a silver car covered in so much duct tape that you couldn't make out the original colors. Bill admits he has sometimes struggled with judging who needs assistance. But this woman had two children in the back seat, and she told him, "If it weren't for you all, we would not have Thanksgiving dinner. I lost my daughter back in the summer, and I have these two children that I'm trying to raise."
"That made my trip to Prestonsburg worthwhile," Bill says.
Moments like that have shaped how he sees the need in our communities. "I know the need is there," he says. He focuses on the families who depend on this help. "There are people who truly need the service, and that's the reason I'm there."
At 78, Bill shows no signs of slowing down. When asked what keeps him going, his answer is simple and heartfelt. "I just feel like I've been blessed. I want to continue being a blessing as long as I can."
Bill, thank you for nearly two decades of service, and for showing what it means to give back. To Bill and every volunteer who gives their time and talent to keep our trucks moving: you are essential to the fight against hunger, and we're grateful.
