Donna Kolkmanis Emergency Food Network’s new Contract Specialist. She comes to us by way of the town ofDunedinon the southern part of the south island ofNew Zealand.  While inNew Zealand, she worked for the equivalent of the federal government in the department of social services as a personnel manager. She moved to the states with her husband and three kids in 2000 for what was supposed to be a two-year stint for her husband with his company. Eleven years and three states later, they put down roots inUniversity Place, but always a Kiwi at heart, she often bruised her husband’s ribs by elbowing him each time she recognized location in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy (filmed inNew Zealand). She most recently worked for The Nonprofit Center as the Financial Services Manager, helping with nonprofits throughout Pierce andKitsapCountiesby providing financial services ranging from bookkeeping to preparing reports and implementing internal controls.

At EFN, Donna will keep statistics for state, federal, and foundation funders, coordinate the purchasing of food, and manage contracts with the 67 food banks, meal sites, and shelters that EFN serves. “I am excited about the opportunity to work with so many organizations meeting such a desperate need in our community, and to support people who find themselves in circumstances that they didn’t expect.

Emergency Food Network’s mission is “to provide a reliable food supply so that no person inPierceCountygoes hungry.” EFN provides 80 percent of food distributed by area meal programs (14 million pounds of food in 2010).PierceCountyresidents visit local food banks, shelters, and meal sites an average of 147,000 times each month. EFN operates a 20,000 square food warehouse inLakewoodand an 8-acre organic farm in Orting.

We heartily welcome Donna to our team!