Meet the Team: Claudia Rose-Muir, Food Sourcing Manager
Here at the Chester County Food Bank, we rely on our amazing staff and dedicated volunteers to help us accomplish our ambitious and unwavering goal of ending food insecurity in Chester County.
One of the pillars of our staff is Claudia Rose-Muir, the Food Bank’s food sourcing manager. If we can’t source food consistently and efficiently, then we aren’t able to continue our extensive programming and supporting all of our member agencies. Through Claudia’s hard work, creativity and passion, we have been able to grow and diversify the ways we get access to fresh and shelf-stable foods to help feed our neighbors.
Get to know a little more about Claudia through this Q&A!
Tell us a little bit about yourself! Where are you from, and where do you live now?
Claudia Rose-Muir: I am a New Englander, born and bred, having lived outside Boston, on Cape Cod and in New Hampshire. I moved to Pennsylvania in 1992 and have lived in Coatesville since 1994.
When did you start working with/for CCFB? Was it always in your current role?
I started working at CCFB in May 2013 as a contractor for the raised bed garden program, then moved into the role of kitchen manager that June. I transitioned to food sourcing manager in November 2016.
What does a typical day look like for you as the food sourcing manager?
Well, that’s the fun part of my job: no two days are alike. I could be running a volunteer team packing backpacks, senior boxes or sorting donated food. I could be visiting seniors in their homes to learn more about their needs, meeting with CCFB team members to plan upcoming events or brainstorming about new and/or better ways to serve the food insecure of Chester County. On another day, I might be writing menus for senior boxes, talking to vendors about product availability and negotiating pricing, ordering food, doing public speaking events to groups interested in doing food drives, helping people organize their food drives or spending time with Scout troops, teaching them about hunger in Chester County and how they can help.
Wow, that’s a lot of tasks for one job! Do you have extra work to handle with the holidays approaching?
Yes! We are gearing up for the holiday season. That means coordinating lots of food drives—one that can bring in as much as 50,000 pounds—and then two major turkey (and all the sides) distributions in Coatesville for 1,200 people and Parkesburg for 350 people. Produce season is a busy time, but the holidays get crazy, too!
What’s one significant change/evolution at CCFB you’ve seen that you’re proud of?
We have a team goal of making sure that half of the food that we distribute be fresh food, because we know that fresh food is so much better for people’s health. I have been able to watch as we strive to reach to that goal. Currently, we are at just over a third of our distribution [as fresh food]! The great thing is that we are able to send out fresh food in all four seasons now, not just during the growing season, because we have found new ways and vendors to source from. That 50% mark is just around the corner!
What’s the best part of your day?
Driving the forklift! It’s so much fun! But also knowing that the things that I work on every day will help make a difference for people in the county. I know that sounds corny, but it’s true.
Thanks so much, Claudia, for all you that do at the Chester County Food Bank!
Want to learn more? Sign up for our newsletter and stay connected. You can also donate food, funds and time to help us achieve our mission. Call (610) 873-6000 to speak to someone about getting involved or requesting a tour. Thanks to you, we’re growing a healthier community.
The Chester County Food Bank is the central hunger relief organization serving more than 120 food cupboards, meal sites and social service organizations throughout Chester County. We take a steadfast approach to provide food and build support in the neediest communities, while raising awareness and engagement among our community.
Photos, top to bottom: Ed Williams; Chester County Food Bank (remaining photos)