Patricia Beebe abruptly resigned as president of the Food Bank of Delaware earlier this month. No reason for the resignation has been disclosed.
According to media reports, she had headed the organization for two decades.
Below is Beebe offering a TEDx talk on second chances.
Kim Turner, the spokesperson for the nonprofit, issued the following:
“Patricia Dobbe Beebe has resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Food Bank of Delaware.
In the immediate future, the role of interim CEO will be filled by Sanjay Malik, Chief Financial Officer. He and the rest of the Leadership Team have a combined 75 years of experience with the Food Bank of Delaware. With the support of the Board of Directors, they will guide the organization to meet the unprecedented need for food assistance and other programs that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to Delaware. Now more than ever, the Food Bank of Delaware prides itself on the critical role it plays in combating food insecurity through comprehensive and innovative programs and services.
In the coming months, the Board of Directors will work with the Leadership Team to identify how best to fill the role of President/CEO. Through a collaborative process, they will seek to identify a leader who will guide the organization to meet the long term challenges faced by our communities, as well as maintain the Food Bank of Delaware’s reputation as a leader in program delivery and advocacy in Delaware.
The resignation comes at a time when the Food Bank has seen demand skyrocket as tens of thousands have been put out of work, due to the coronavirus crisis in Delaware.
The organization has moved to large scale food distribution events as organizations donate food and demand skyrocketed.
Beebe recently spearheaded a fund-raising effort for a new headquarters and distribution center in the Pencader office/industrial park area of Glasgow. The food bank also has a location in Milford.
She also took the food bank beyond its core mission of receiving and distributing food by starting an education-training program for chefs that up until recently helped place graduates in restaurants and food service jobs.
A more recent program trained individuals in warehouse operations. Graduates were often struggling with food-related issues related to poverty or struggles that come in leaving the corrections system.
In 2018 (2017 tax year) the nonprofit Food Bank of Delaware reported revenue over expenses of more than $3 million on total revenue of about $22 million, according to a Form 990 from the Internal Revenue Service.
According to the IRS filing, Beebe earned $191,000 a year, while Malik was paid $127,000 as chief financial officer.
Despite a long-running period of economic growth that ended abruptly with the response to the coronavirus pandemic, demand for the food bank’s services had continued to grow.
Beebe’s departure came without the usual accolades that come when serving in a top post for a couple of decades. Beebe also took down a social media account.
