The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Carla Jebian, the new coordinator of 'Our Daily Bread,' dishes up a Thanksgiving meal and hands it to outgoing coordinator Peg Prior.

Our Daily Bread hires new program leader

Our Daily Bread, Sunnyvale's hot meals program for the hungry, announced last week that Carla Jebian of East Palo Alto has been named to replace Peg Prior as program coordinator.

Jebian graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied economic development. She has been the bilingual assistant to the director of a battered women's program and has most recently been an elementary school teacher. She assumed her duties at ODB the week before Thanksgiving, becoming the program's single part-time paid employee. She will direct the work of more than 100 volunteers from 30 local churches and civic organizations.

Jebian replaces Peg Prior, who has filled the coordinator position for 10 years. Peg began as a volunteer cook and eventually became coordinator in 1988. During her tenure, Prior has seen Our Daily Bread feed 300,000 hungry men, women and children. She has seen the daily number of diners increase from dozens to hundreds. And she has been responsible for many changes and efficiencies, including a new walk-in freezer, an upgraded kitchen and the streamlined serving of meals.

ODB, an outreach program of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sunnyvale, began serving the hungry 15 years ago and has now served nearly 500,000 diners.

In the typical serving day, Our Daily Bread feeds 230 elderly, homeless, unemployed or disabled people. Many working-poor families are also served.

Diners do not stand in line but are served hot, nutritious meals. Infants and children are served year-round.

Our Daily Bread serves at midday on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, including holidays.

For every dollar that ODB spends on food, local wholesalers, restaurants, bakeries, caterers, service clubs or the Second Harvest Food Bank contribute at least another dollar's worth. Our Daily Bread receives two-thirds of its income from individuals and families and one-third from churches, businesses, service clubs and employee associations. St. Thomas Church provides the facilities and overhead expenses.

The program accepts contributions in cash or checks. ODB accepts commercially prepared canned or packaged foods, turkeys, hams, and home-grown fruits or vegetables, in accordance with health regulations. Number 10 size cans are especially useful, as are turkey and ham. Deliver goods to the church at 231 S. Sunset Ave. in Sunnyvale on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning, or call 736-4108 for an appointment.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, December 3, 1997.
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