Employee of the Month: TJ Stewart

January 8, 2026

An accidental rupture in a gas line running through our Milford warehouse caused some staff to notice the unmistaken scent of gas on Oct. 27, 2025. Facility manager TJ Stewart was notified.

His prompt and efficient response resulted in averting what could have been a major disaster.
Our building was quickly evacuated with staff directed out of harm’s way. Utility companies were notified. Carlisle Fire Co. arrived on the scene. Routine on-site operations halted so that repairs could be safely conducted – and completed — that same evening.

For his professional expertise, calm leadership, and care for his co-workers and our facility, Stewart was honored as our first Employee of the Month during an all-staff meeting and holiday celebration on Dec. 23.

Was he surprised when our President and CEO Cathy Kanefsky called him to the podium and honored with a standing ovation in addition to the plaque she presented? Just as he is every other day, putting out figurative fires, he expressed gratitude quickly and quietly. No speech!

Stewart has been a part of the Food Bank team for six years, starting as a part-time cooler delivery driver. He took advantage of the opportunity to complete CDL training in order to become a full-time driver and has managed our new Milford facility since it opened just over a year ago.

“It’s what I enjoy doing,” he said, describing his often-unpredictable workdays. He earned a degree in emergency management from Delaware Technical Community College, training he thought he would use to become a police officer. Instead, he found his niche at the Food Bank.
He’s even able to reflect on the Oct. 27 gas leak as a blessing in disguise. “I was trained on shutting off the valves during construction, but this actually turned out to be a good thing, a training situation. Nobody got hurt, and I didn’t wish for it, but I learned a lot that day, and I know what to do going forward.”

And he’s quick to add another benefit: his daily personal investment in his job. “I love what I do. I look at it as I almost saved my own house, taking care of something, you care about, the building and all the employees. I was surprised that it was presented in front of everybody, but when I was setting up for that breakfast, it’s like everyone was coming to my house. I love what I do; it’s almost like a hobby.”

Thank you, TJ, for all that you do every single day!