Meet Millie

The Way is a food pantry that provides emergency food boxes to Valley families struggling to make ends meet with food provided by Waste Not.  This gem of a food pantry near 51st Ave and Glendale Avenue is operated by Millie, a 62 year old volunteer who has dedicated over 18 years of her life to feeding those in need. Millie partnered with June, Director of the West Valley Community Food Bank 2 years ago, and together, they’ve served more people than ever.

Millie and other volunteers at The Way, distribute food boxes every year to 16,000 people.  These boxes contain enough fresh, healthy food to feed a family for about three days. Every Monday Waste Not delivers a truckload of food so they can re-stock their shelves which become nearly empty each week. “We may only get a delivery once a week from Waste Not, but that weekly delivery means everything to us”, says Millie.

Millie prides herself on being enthusiastically resourceful to the families who come to The Way, needing food and other resources and she works diligently on the organization, cleanliness and appearance of every food box and its contents.

Years ago, Millie relied on a local grocery store for food donations but when that store closed and she needed help, she turned to Waste Not. Millie said, “I was frazzled before Waste Not but now we can count on a supply of fresh produce, meat, dairy, and bread.”  Millie said that “the impact the food Waste Not brings to our pantry is enormous, it really is”.

Located at 7205 N. 51st Ave, Glendale AZ 85301 (at St. John’s Lutheran Church)

June (left) and Millie (right) are pictured with just one of several refrigerators FULL of good, fresh food delivered to them that morning by Waste Not driver, Tim Hunt.

Shelves full of bread, fruit, and non-perishables & volunteers help Waste Not unload this week’s delivery.