Food Bank employee nominated for award

April 29, 2016

By Gwen Guerke, Communications Coordinator

Thanks to Milford Volunteer Coordinator Sunny Redden for nominating the Food Bank of Delaware for the Governor’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Employment Committee’s Excellence Award. In addition, Sunny was also nominated for an Employee of the Year Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2016.

In ceremonies held last week at Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center, Gov. Jack Markell and the committee recognized employers who hire, train and maintain positive working relationships with TANF recipients.

Sunny is a part-time volunteer coordinator at the Food Bank’s Milford branch, a position she worked her way into through her TANF volunteer connection.

“I nominated the Food Bank because they are my employer, and they have been good to me,” she said. “Plus, it’s good publicity for the Food Bank.”

Sunny’s link to the Food Bank started when she left a prior position as a finance manager at a Wilmington law firm in order to further her education.

“It’s one of those things where I had the experience, but not the education,” she said.

So when she applied for TANF, she also followed through with Employment Connections, the agency’s requirement to participate in volunteering and employment training. After all, the goal is TANF is to provide temporary help until clients get a job and become self-sufficient.

As the demand grew for more volunteer hours at our Milford branch, a part-time position opened up, and Sunny was the first choice for that job.

“Sunny has been a real asset to us here,” said Milford Branch Director Chad Robinson.

“She is reliable, responsible, and develops positive relationships with our volunteers while maintaining an ongoing relationship with Employment Connections as well.”

In addition to working, Sunny is meeting her educational goals. She’ll graduate with an associate’s degree in accounting from Delaware Technical Community College next month, and she’s started on her bachelor’s degree from Wilmington University.

“It’s not easy,” Sunny said.

But she was not expecting easy; she’s focused on her goals.

For more information about last week’s awards ceremony, please click here.

 

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