Amador County – Amador Community Foundation has hired its new Executive Director, Kathleen Harmon, who is retiring as Executive Director of the Interfaith Food Bank.

She said Wednesday she will be starting the first of the year in a shared role of executive director of both entities, until the Food Bank transitions into its new leadership.

Harmon said Wednesday: “I have had the privilege of leading the Food Bank for the last 13 years. We have come a long way. The food bank is strong and well established and will continue to be, with new leadership.”

Harmon said: “I have accepted a position with the Amador Community Foundation. I look forward to a new challenge and building the capacity of the foundation to better serve the community.”

She accepted the position of executive director of the Amador Community Foundation because “what the Foundation does , they are a grant making organization.” She said it is not just feeding people but putting money into the community. Harmon said: “What I do best is raise awareness and raise money.” Her goal is to “make the Amador Community Foundation a household name in Amador County, just like the Food Bank is, because it is a great organization. That’s what I am hired to do.”

Harmon said the “Food Bank is in a position to do what it does without me,” and she is taking on a project to do the same thing with Amador Community Foundation, to make it more viable.

She said it was a tough decision but “once I made the decision, it was the right decision.”

She is looking for a challenge, and will get it Jan. 1.The Amador Community Foundation’s incoming Board President Pat Crew and Stan Lukowicz are “granting me back to the Food Bank to help with the transition of the new director.” The ad for the position at the Food Bank will run next Friday.

Harmon said “Pat and Stan wanted to ensure that they are not leaving the Food Bank in a position where they will be leaving a loss of service to the community.”

Harmon said the first of the year she will be working at Amador Community Foundation “and I will be working at both places until they have an executive director in place at the Food Bank, and that was the wish of the Foundation.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.