Food Pantry Founder Still Serving After 50 Years

WALNUT CREEK (KPIX 5) Ed Regan is almost 90 years old and has been called the "face of God" for poor people in Contra Costa County.

Regan has volunteered for the past 50 years at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at St. Mary's Church in Walnut Creek, collecting food donations for the pantry.

"Keeps you busy. Otherwise, I'd be sitting in a chair at home," said Regan.

And the retired accountant has no plans of slowing down.

"You feel good if you help somebody," he explained.

Over the years, Regan has worked quietly behind the scenes. Marsha Krausova, a food recipient, was even unaware of Regan's five decades of volunteer service.

"It's unbelievable, and I am so proud of him," said Krausova of Regan.

But Regan is no stranger to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry: he was one of six founding members when the pantry was first established in 1963. Back then, Regan would drive every day collecting food donations from grocery stores and coffee shops, but in recent years has had to reduce his hours.

"Bad knees. I don't drive," said Regan.

This isn't a setback for Regan though. Fellow volunteers assist him by driving him around. Three mornings a week, Regan still manages to pick up donations and stock up the pantry, where the food is then distributed to three dozen families each week. He even delivers to day laborers, all while walking with a cane.

Regan's commitment to serve has even inspired other individuals like Larry Sanchez to volunteer as well.

"He was in tears. He brought me to tears," Sanchez recalled. "He said how much they needed people to help with this program to feed people in the community. That's why I volunteered."

Another fellow volunteer, Ted Todd, says Regan is always willing to help others, whether it's sharing a loaf of bread or a job opportunity.

"He always had the philosophy of helping the down and out," said Todd.

In addition, Regan also has St. Mary's School's students get involved in food drives when school is in session, and once a month has them pack lunches to pass out to day laborers.

At the end of the day, Regan says he would like to be remembered as a nice guy and hopes that his years of volunteer service will serve as a good example for his 38 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, just like his father was for him.

So for serving his community through the food pantry he co-founded half a century ago, this week's Jefferson Award winner in the Bay Area goes to Ed Regan.