The Hansens: 20 Years at the ATCAA Food Bank

Bill and Doreen Hansen during their final visit to the ATCAA Food Bank.

Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency (ATCAA) has been serving individuals and families in Tuolumne County for 42 years. The ATCAA Food Bank began serving the area in 1996. Doreen and Bill Hansen have been dedicated volunteers at the ATCAA Food Bank for the majority of the time it has been in operation. Their contribution to the ATCAA Food Bank and their community is remarkable and demonstrates the true heart of ATCAA: people helping people.

In 2003, Doreen was volunteering at the Tuolumne County Public Library when she came across an ATCAA volunteer table. Over the next two decades, the Hansens dedicated thousands of hours to help thousands of Tuolumne County residents.

During their time at the Food Bank, they saw it grow and change many times, just as the families they met grew and changed over their years of serving them. Doreen and Bill said that the connections they made with the Food Bank clients are their favorite thing about their time volunteering there. When asked about what they learned over their years at the Food Bank, Doreen said, “Patience, humanity, and how some people are really appreciative of what we are doing, and some are not.” ATCAA deeply appreciates their contributions to the Food Bank.

The Hansens have always helped with Food Bank’s Holiday Food Basket distributions. The two Holiday Food Basket distributions in November and December are undoubtedly the busiest days of the year at the Food Bank. Volunteers are crucial to these distributions because the Food Bank serves at least 300 clients in a single day to ensure they all have quality, fresh food for their holiday meals. These distributions have become an integral part of the holidays in Tuolumne County and will continue to be with the help of volunteers.

Doreen and Bill have relocated to a new area, but they encourage other residents to volunteer, saying, “It’s interesting and it can be a lot of fun because you’re working for her (Joi Reeves, Food Bank Manager).” If you’d like to support your community in a fun and interesting way, you can call the Food Bank at (209) 984-3960 ext. 105 to learn more and sign up. ATCAA will always support Tuolumne County residents, but we can’t do it as well without the help of other people helping people. ATCAA Food Bank Manager, Joi Reeves, giving Dorreen a hug goodbye.

This article was originally published in the December 2023 Edition of Sonora Living Magazine.

Written by: Sophia Kaufman - ATCAA Communications Coordinator