Gloucester Community Foundation Names Volunteer Couple of the Year –
Tony and Joan Gattuso of the Bread for Life Community Food Pantry
The Gloucester Community Foundation named its first Volunteer ‘Couple’ of the Year during a reception Tuesday, October 25 at the Inn at Warner Hall – Tony and Joan Gattuso of the Bread for Life Community Food Pantry
The Gloucester Community Foundation’s Advisory Board established the award in 2011 to recognize the significant contributions of Gloucester County residents to the health, life and welfare of the County and its people. The award came with a $250 donation to a Gloucester charity of the awardee’s choice. Mr. and Mrs. Gattuso chose for the donation to go to food pantry they spend so much time volunteering for.
Extraordinarily caring. Model for civic engagement and responsibility. Committed to feeding the poor of Gloucester with love and compassion. These were the words used to describe the Gattusos. Together, they spend 30 hours a week helping the pantry, doing everything from managing a volunteer database, to unloading and shelving foods, to writing thank-you notes to driving 70-mile round trips to pick up food.
In their nomination packet, it said, “one of the remarkable things about Joan and Tony is that they serve so quietly, joyfully and unassuming, never seeking recognition for their efforts.”
Also nominated for the award, and recognized at the reception, was John Hasty of the Gloucester Boys and Girls Club and Charles Villa of the Gloucester-Mathews Free Clinic.
Mr. Hasty has served on the club’s board of directors, developed what has become the Annual Flounder Fishing Tournament, helped secure acquisition of the building, generate the funds needed for renovations and continues to give more than 100 hours to the club. His nomination letter included words like leadership, encouragement, inspiration and quiet hero. The 800 children served by the club each year are fortunate to have a role model like John to look up to.
Mr. Villa has been involved with the clinic since 2003 and is called one of the clinic’s greatest advocates, a dedicated volunteer and fearless. Fearless in his pursuit of resources to save the clinic thousands of dollars in their operating budget each year. Dedicated to finding smart ways to do business – like securing hardware and software for programs to track valuable clinic data needed for operations and grant writing. And an advocate for volunteerism to promote stronger communities.