It is with sadness, plus immense gratitude and appreciation, that FISH Food Bank is announcing the retirement of Billie Stevens, our first and only volunteer coordinator for the past 16 years, on Oct. 31.
This is Billie’s second retirement, having first retired in 2009 after 32 years of service at Oregon State University Extension, as staff chair, 4H leader, and family/community education. Shortly after retirement, she began volunteering at FISH. At that time, the FISH board identified the need to expand our volunteer base to meet the increasing numbers of clients. We advertised for the position at five hours a week, and Billie applied for and was hired for this position, beginning in November 2009.
Little did we know that Billie would grow our volunteer base from about 20 to more than 400 dedicated volunteers. During her tenure, we opened satellite food pantries in Parkdale, Mid Valley, and Cascade Locks, each site requiring a new group of volunteers to recruit and train.
She was a valued voice as the FISH board determined that we needed a dedicated warehouse facility with a separate shopping area, reception area, parking lot, and warehouse. Our building project planning and fundraising lasted from 2010 to a move-in date in May 2015. Billie oversaw the move and then successfully trained our volunteers on self-shopping procedures for clients.
In March 2020, as the COVID epidemic arose, Billie and FISH needed to pivot on one day’s notice to a parking-lot model of food distribution and recruit new volunteer groups, such as Rotary Club of Hood River, to fill in for volunteers at risk of COVID, and help develop safe public health protocols. This was the most trying of times as people were laid off and needed food assistance. With Billie’s help at managing the few volunteers we did have and developing safe strategies for those volunteers and clients, we never closed due to COVID outbreak!
Billie is beloved by our clients for a friendly smile and non-judgmental manner. She has been an eloquent and passionate voice for all of the clients that FISH serves. Her monthly newsletters guide FISH volunteers and board members on the daily heartbreaking stories of our clients. She makes our clients feel welcome, heard, and valued. She has been able to focus on their humanity, despite the difficulties they may be experiencing.
FISH is celebrating Billie‘s retirement on Oct. 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.at the FISH meeting room, 1130 Tucker Road, Hood River. The FISH Board will be providing soup, salad, bread, and side dishes. Clients, current and past volunteers, and community members are invited to attend.
As we all know, change is difficult, but FISH is delighted to announce that we have hired two outstanding individuals from our community to replace Billie!
Sarah Benson is on board as a volunteer coordinator. She recently retired from Hood River County School District after 26 years in various roles. She has lived in Hood River for more than 50 years. Araceli Avilla is on board for intake and outreach assistant. She has 15 years of experience as a case manager and supervisor of community health workers. She is bicultural and bilingual, and we are excited to have a bilingual person available at all of our food distributions.
Please welcome Sarah and Araceli to their new part-time positions. They both have demonstrated their commitment to FISH‘s mission and desire to continue food assistance to our food insecure neighbors. Billie is looking forward to having more time for hiking, quilting, reading, spending time with family, and traveling.
FISH continues to sign up new families every day. To date, in 2025, we have served 1,750 different families. We continue to deal with inflation and increasing need, but also continue to be grateful for the wonderful support we have in our community.
If you are interested in donating time or funds, please check our website, fish-food-bank.com. Donations can be mailed to FISH Food Bank, 1767 W. 12th St., No. 147, Hood River, OR 97031.
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