Like the United States, Daily Bread has a Constitution that defines its governance structure. As a corporation not a country, however, this document is called its Certificate of Incorporation. The Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, tells us the Pantry is run by its Board of Directors. In addition to myself, the current Board members are:

Aah, you say, but who decides who is on the Board? The short answer is they themselves do. This is quite different from a typical for-profit company, where shareholders elect the Board.

Our arrangement is common for non-profits, and Daily Bread has always been run with the greatest integrity, but it is easy to see how a self-perpetuating Board might lead to all kinds of shenanigans. That is why all involved with the Pantry - volunteers, donors, and our partners who supply us with food - should know how we are run, and also should keep an eye on what the Board is doing. Government oversight has a role to play too, since we are regulated by the State of Connecticut and, because of the Pantry's charitable status, our friends at the IRS.

At the moment, the easiest way to keep up with Board decisions is to ask me, or indeed any other Board member - about anything Pantry-related that interests you. In the future, more of this information will be included on our website.

Of course, the main role of the Board is to set the Pantry's strategic direction, and to make big decisions. On a more mundane level, some Board members also hold what might loftily be called executive roles. Currently, these roles are:

Now, what I have described above is the theoretical governance structure. The reality is that many other volunteers make key decisions and contributions every day that allow Daily Bread to function as efficiently as it does. More about them in upcoming letters.

For the moment, though, I will close this dull civics lesson by mentioning the vital role of Jill Shaw, our Pantry Coordinator, who takes care of a variety of essential tasks too numerous to mention.

I hope that has shed some light on how the Pantry is run. I'm only scratching the surface though, so do not hesitate to ask for more information on the subject.

Many of you will know that Sarah Swan has recently experienced some major health issues. So too has another committed and invaluable volunteer, Elaine Thorn. As of this writing, I am very happy to report that both are moving well along the road to recovery. All the same, it will be a while yet before either will be able to return to the Pantry.

Not that any of this is holding them back from making sure things are still getting done properly! In particular, I need to report that Sarah is not quite satisfied with the current designation of James Fleming's redoubtable truck, which heretofore has been known to all and sundry as the Green Monster. If you are familiar with this "vehicle," feel free to get in touch with Sarah, James or me to suggest alternatives.

More importantly, you may want to send Sarah and/or Elaine a card with your best wishes, or otherwise keep in touch (many of you have already done so, which is a wonderful example of how the Pantry is really just one extended family). Since I know for a fact neither of them read these letters, it will be a pleasant surprise! Let me know if you need their contact details.

Thank you to everyone who has already completed the mandatory annual civil rights training. Remember, it is NOT enough to complete the training - you also have to tell me you've done so in order that our records can be updated. Links to the training in English and Spanish are in my original email which can be found here. AFTER MARCH 1, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE SIGN IN PROCESS WITHOUT CONFIRMING YOU HAVE REVIEWED THIS MATERIAL!

OK, so much for the "stick." What about the "carrot?" You will recall that the first 50 volunteers to complete the training will be entered into a valuable PRIZE DRAW! Unbelievably, some of you have questioned whether the draw will be conducted fair and square! Which on reflection I guess is reasonable, given my invitation above to keep a beady eye on what the Board is doing. But let me assure you, I have been working NIGHT and DAY on an unimpeachable random selection process involving:

What is the connection between the cat and random number generation? Well, that is a little Sunday Puzzle for you. The clue is in the name, and the one-town-over from where I grew up: Lytham St. Annes. Happy Googling!

That's quite enough for now. Take care,