PACS Volunteer Recognition

PACS could not provide the services and support to the community without the time and effort from many of our wonderful volunteers. Here are some volunteers that we would like to recognize to highlight their tremendous contribution to PACS.

"Heart of PACS"

PACS' Volunteer Honorees

Heather Potts

Meet Heather Potts, an essential part of our Saturday crew! As a weekend volunteer, Heather greets our guests, takes their names, and assigns everyone a number to keep the line organized. Given the fast pace of Saturdays at PACS, she ensures everything runs smoothly, helping us serve as many people as possible in the limited time we are open. When she isn’t assisting with the lines and Market, Heather enjoys volunteering at various PACS events to assist with day of preparations, represent our organization, and help spread the word about our mission.

Heather enjoys being a Saturday volunteer. As a greeter, she has the opportunity to connect with people each weekend, building meaningful relationships along the way. She enjoys learning about the guests and seeing their genuine appreciation for the support PACS provides. Heather also recalled a time when a guest brought homemade rice pudding, a family recipe, to thank all the Saturday volunteers for their hard work.

When searching for a way to volunteer and give back to her community, Heather felt strongly about how many people are struggling to feed their families, whether due to rising grocery costs or other challenges. She wanted to help people access the food they need for healthier lives, and found PACS to be the perfect fit. Inspired by our mission to be the leading resource for food insecurity in the community, Heather was drawn to how PACS ensures no one is turned away when seeking help.

Heather’s advice to anyone looking to volunteer is to do your research and find an organization whose mission resonates with you and your values. When you feel passionate about the cause, your volunteering experience becomes even more rewarding. She also emphasizes that even just 2-3 hours a week can make a big impact. Her own time as mainly a Saturday volunteer is a perfect example of how every little bit can make a difference!

After almost three years of volunteering, Heather is continually inspired by her fellow volunteers. As PACS has grown, many of the volunteers have stepped up to help the organization navigate new challenges and changes. With a small staff of just 10, PACS wouldn’t be nearly as successful without the hard work and dedication of its volunteers! Heather is also inspired by her fellow volunteer Elaine Miller. Heather stated that Elaine may be retired, but has basically become a professional volunteer, and that is truly amazing.

When Heather is not volunteering with PACS, she enjoys hiking, spending time with her dog Louie, and hanging out with friends and family. She's also an avid golfer and recently organized a large fundraiser with her golfing friends to raise money for PACS! Heather is a perfect example of how anyone can make a difference, no matter how much time they have to give. As she said before, even a few hours a week can make a huge difference in someone’s life.

"The Heart of PACS" Awards

Every year, we hold a special event to express our gratitude towards the hardworking volunteers who support our mission.

In December 2023, approximately 135 volunteers came together at PACS to be honored for their dedication and efforts.

We were honored to have the presence of several elected officials at the event:

Senator Katie Muth & Nikki Whitlock
Chester County Commissioner Chair Marian Moskowitz
Phoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler

Senator Katie Muth’s office awarded all of the PACS Volunteers The State of Pennsylvania Senatorial Certificate of Recognition - In recognition of "commitment to volunteer service to Phoenixville and surrounding communities”.

Mayor Peter awarded all of the PACS Volunteers Phoenixville Borough Office of the Mayor Citation - in recognition of “outstanding volunteer contributions to Phoenixville Area Community Services.”

A select group of our volunteers were also awarded The President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Biden. This award is given to those who have volunteered a certain amount of hours. Elaine Miller won the Gold Presidential Award for roughly 700 hours of volunteer service!

Joseph J. Cowan, Jr. has been recognized as the recipient of the "Lois Gould Volunteer of the Year Award" for 2023. The award, named after PACS' founder Lois Gould, will be presented to the Volunteer of the Year annually.

We are extremely grateful to all of our volunteers who devote their time and effort to support our mission every day.