SPAN, Inc.’s new directors learning on the job at a challenging time

AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler

Just a few weeks on the job, SPAN, Inc.’s new staff members – Director of Development Michele Sabean and Director of Operations Maia Grabau – were delighted to conduct an eye-opening tour of the organization’s food pantries. At one point, they paused to show off a birthday box and some cards created, illustrated and donated by Arundel High School student Alisha Kim. Alisha’s wonderful gift was just one of the pleasant surprises awaiting the directors.

“On May 26, Alisha arrived unannounced at our outdoor pick-up/drop-off area with five beautifully wrapped boxes filled with items to celebrate a birthday,” Sabean said. “She also donated a dozen cards decorated with her wonderful artwork to be given to families receiving food donations. Each has a thoughtful note inside.

There seems to have been one surprise after another since mid-May when Grabau and Sabean took up their new positions. Once they were hired by SPAN’s board of directors, things moved quickly. Both women soon realized they have big shoes to fill.

According to Grabau, SPAN’s former operations director Jennifer Pumphrey left two weeks before she arrived. However, former development director Ellen Kinsella stayed behind for a week to give her some training.

“A few days later, Michele came in and Ellen’s focus switched to her for a day or two. So both of us are kind of learning as we go,” she said.

Pumphrey was with SPAN, Inc. for over a decade, first as associate director and then as operations director, and made significant contributions to its success. Her most important achievement was developing SPAN’s well-known Holiday Caring Programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas which match sponsors with deserving families for whom they purchase food and/or gifts. In 2012, along with then director Maria DeNardo, Pumphrey oversaw the expansion of the organization’s office and food storage spaces to keep pace with rapidly growing need. She resigned her position in early May for a long-awaited move to North Carolina with her husband.

Grabau now inherits her predecessor’s primary duties of overseeing day-to-day budgets and operations and working with the volunteers. With 20 years of experience as a pastor’s wife serving in church leadership in a variety of settings, she seems well suited to the job.

From the projects to the streets of Baltimore, Grabau has ministered to people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and has deep compassion for families in need. She also has been a content writer for N2 Publishing’s area magazines. She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from California State University and a master’s degree in public policy from Regent University.

Sabean enjoyed her few days with the former director of development who was very helpful. As the “face of SPAN” since June of 2017, Ellen Kinsella enjoyed interacting with the public and acquainting them with the organization’s mission. Amiable and outgoing, she excelled at raising donations. She resigned from SPAN for what she considers a “labor of love” – caring for her daughter’s newborn so the new mother can go back to work.

Like Kinsella, Sabean is outgoing. Her main focus will be continuing to get SPAN’s name out in the community and managing its social media traffic. With a bachelors degree in mathematics from Smith College and an MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, she served as director of operations for a Charter School Operator in Baltimore City and was a Program Manager developing math and reading tutoring programs. She has experience training and teaching in a variety of settings. She’s also a member of Our Lady of the Fields Church in Millersville (one of the coalition of 14 churches that founded SPAN in 1990) and has taught Faith Formation classes there.

Sabean said it’s been wonderful to see how well supported SPAN is with food drives by various schools, groups or organizations as well as generous individual donations.

Both women were impressed how innovative their predecessors were in providing financial and food assistance throughout the COVID pandemic. Along with the SPAN board of directors, Pumphrey and Kinsella and the volunteers re-engineered the back porch to be a drive-through pick-up station. Food pantry volunteers prepare dozens of food boxes each day and stack them against one wall.

“We’re then able to pass the food boxes through the openings for clients to pick up without any personal contact, “Sabean said. “The pass-through is also the place where people can drop off donations.”

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SPAN’s board decided simultaneously to erect a gazebo so volunteers who interview clients regarding financial aid could meet them in an outdoor setting.

Grabau pointed out that SPAN receives all its food and financial support through contributions. She’s been astonished by the amount of donations rolling in and impressed by the way pantry volunteers organize immense amounts of food stored on three levels of the building according to type….. with each item clearly marked with its expiration date so a proper rotation can be maintained. There ‘s incredible diversity in the food and household essentials contributed including a recently added section of gluten free foods.

Increased amounts of refrigeration that take up part of the main floor enable SPAN to include fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, eggs and milk donated by area produce markets, shops, supermarkets and individuals.

Currently, there’s a shelf full of chicken tenders from Giant Supermarket and there are fresh vegetables through SPAN’s partnership with Diehl’s Produce. Last year, Diehl’s started a program to round off customers’ change and pool the resulting sums to supply gift certificates for SPAN clients to buy produce.

Social media has been helpful when there is a shortage of a certain food or item like laundry detergent. SPAN almost immediately gets a response and a donation of the item from individuals or groups like Chesapeake Harmony Chorus.

SPAN currently serves families from across 14 zip codes including Arnold, Broadneck, Annapolis, Millersville, Severna Park, Ft. Meade, Linthicum, Severn, Pasadena, Glen Burnie, Crownsville, Gambrills, Odenton and Crofton.

Informed that summer is a slower, less busy time, Grabau finds that people often stop by unexpectedly. For now, she’s using the time to make sure she knows what her responsibilities entail. Gauging from the amount of calls coming in, she’s sure the pace will soon be picking up.

“With moratoriums on utilities and housing about to end, we’re already fielding calls from people worried about evictions or utility turn-offs,” Grabau said. “We are legally able to supply a one-time assistance for an eviction notice but can’t do anything about an eviction until a court order has been posted. We’re expecting that, when that happens, people will owe significant amounts of money.”

Moving into late summer and fall, Grabau is eager to get the word out that she’s looking for people to volunteer as pantry workers or interviewers. SPAN has a dedicated core of volunteers who have worked for a decade or more but she’s hoping to attract some younger volunteers too so there’s a wider pool to pull from.

“I’m thinking of contacting some young moms’ groups,” she said. “It’s a three-hour-a- morning responsibility that people can do once a week or once a month, as frequently or as infrequently as they like. Volunteering would really help us fill some gaps.”

Both pantry volunteers and interviewer volunteers require a little training – especially interviewers who need to show confidence and compassion but sometimes need to turn someone away.

Both Grabau and Sabean look forward to events starting back up. This year’s Turkey Trot fundraiser had to be cancelled because there’s no definitive timetable for lifting COVID restrictions but they are hoping to hold some sort of event in its place.

In September and October, they’ll be recruiting sponsors for the Holiday Caring Programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year 250 families have been referred to SPAN by local schools for the Holiday Caring Programs. People in the community have always been very generous sponsors contributing food baskets and gifts and, hopefully, will continue to do so. Often families who were on the receiving end of holiday food baskets or gifts will become sponsors themselves as a way of paying back.

For information about SPAN’s activities or medical, financial or food assistance programs visit them on Facebook at SPAN, Inc. | Facebook or on their website at SPAN Serving People Across Neighborhoods (spanhelps.org).

DANCING IN THE STREETS at Severna Park Community Center June 19

On Saturday, June 19, bring your friends and family to Severna Park Community Center for a Dance-A-Thon from 9 am to 3 pm. The free outdoor/tented event will feature a DJ, dancing, dance lessons, raffles, food trucks and more. The Dance-A-Thon will be followed by a more glamorous Night In The Park from 5 pm to 9 pm. The ticketed outdoor/tented event will feature music from the Shatners, local food trucks, breweries, raffles, auctions, dancing and more. Tickets for a Night In The Park are limited and will be $20 per person. For information or tickets visit SPCC Home (spcommunitycenter.org)