It was a bright sun-shiny day, and Pat Kerrigan was mingling with donors about food, philanthropy and The Emergency Foodshelf Network. The annual meeting was under way, and it was time to give out awards. Was that his name he heard?
Pat Kerrigan, EFN’s Transportation coordinator, was honored with EFN’s employee-of-the-year award during the 2006 annual meeting. “I had no idea I was going to receive the award,” said Kerrigan. "I was trying to duck out and go to the bathroom befor the announcement, but my wife convinced me to stay."
(Picture: Pat and his wife, Mary Laurel, celebrating St. Patrick's Day.)
Pat truly deserves it. Pat schedules the distribution of donated and purchased food to EFN’s network of over 180 agencies. Pat sets up the logistics with over 150 organizational food drive coordinators throughout the year. He also schedules the pickups at the ongoing Rainbow Foods “Give Food. Give Hope” food drive for 30 metro Rainbow stores. The scheduling and coordination of the pick-ups and distribution require constant and accurate communication with agencies, vendors and EFN staff. On Fridays, he picks up donations from school lunch programs and delivers food to three hot meal programs.
Pat coordinated improvement of EFN's overhead lighting in the warehouse, upgrading emergency lights and reducing EFN's electricty usage. As EFN’s safety coordinator, he develops procedures in the event of an emergency, regularly checking fire extinguishers and eliminating possible hazards around the warehouse and office.
The Emergency Foodshelf Network is proud to have Pat’s expertise aboard. His resume has a common theme: food. Pat's first job in 1981 was a college internship with the Hennepin County Emergency Foodshelves, which became the Emergency Foodshelf Network in 1986. He has worked and volunteered at several food co-ops, managed a foodshelf and coordinated farming and farmers markets with Lyndale neighborhood youth.
"I am fortunate to work with wonderful co-workers and serve agencies assisting households experiencing hunger. I am inspired by all of the creativity and great work that goes into over 150 annual food drives for EFN," said Pat.