JANE ALEXANDER​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born in Whitestone, NY, lived in CA for a couple of years when I was very young, grew up in Stamford from the age of 4. I moved to Wilton in 1991.  I went to Culinary School and worked in New Orleans for 1 year.  Stayed in kitchens for a few years, then became a corporate food service manager.  I became a stay-at-home mom in 1991 and began volunteering for different organizations and schools.  I have been volunteering at Daily Bread since around 2012 or 2013. I have 3 adult children. The eldest lives in Costa Rica, the second is married and expecting her first child, my first grandchild, and the third lives in New Hampshire.

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What is something about you that no one would know? For example, can you juggle, ever run a 10K or gone skydiving, lived in another country, won an award?  

I ran the NYC half marathon (well, walked most of it because I discovered a bad disc in my neck while training for it) in 2015.  I did finish within the time limit and got a finisher medal! 

 

I learned how to ride a motorcycle in 2004 and crashed in 2005. Broken thumb, bruised body, and very badly bruised ego. The ego was the last thing to heal. I still love motorcycles, I just don't ride them anymore. I went skydiving in 2015, something that had been on my bucket list. I would happily go again. I went scuba diving in 2013 in Costa Rica. My oldest son was my instructor. I did not want to go because I don't believe we are supposed to breathe underwater.  I hated it and will never go again. I still don't think we are supposed to breathe underwater.

 

Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

Favorite book:  A Little Life. Favorite Author:  Richard Russo.  Favorite saying:  Not my circus, not my monkeys.

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

My most memorable live entertainment was Bruce Springsteen on Broadway. My first concert was the Bee Gees at Madison Square Garden,1977.  Saw Billy Joel in 1980. 

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

I enjoy taking walks, hiking, sailing, going for a bike ride, and cooking.

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Name a favorite junk food.

My favorite junk food is a good potato chip.

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

I don't have a favorite destination.  I enjoy travelling and have liked every other country I have visited so far.  I also enjoyed the National Parks I have  

visited.  My dream destinations are the Galapagos Islands and seeing Polar bears and penguins in the wild.

 

SCOTT KEMP​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born in Western PA and have lived in Connecticut for around 14 years. I worked for Pepsi for most of my career, a short time at Coca-Cola, and then Connecticut Foodshare. I have two lovely daughters and my equally lovely first wife, Melba. My first trip to Daily Bread was delivering COVID test kits on New Year's Eve while working with CT Foodshare. I started volunteering at Daily Bread regularly when the super pantry opened.

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What is something about you that no one would know? For example, can you juggle, ever run a 10K or gone skydiving, lived in another country, won an award? 

I am a three-time Golden Gloves Champion. 

I won a dance contest at our family reunion. I can't dance.

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Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

Training Day, American Gangster, Gunsmoke & Bonanza.

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

Tom Jones.

Parliament.

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

Crocheting.

Music, all kinds.

Gardening.

Fishing.

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Name a favorite junk food.

I never eat junk food.  My body is a temple.

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

St Something.

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GREGG NOLTING​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born in Chicago (Chitown) and moved from Alaska to Connecticut in 1988.  I worked at IBM, encompassing living in 4 states and working in 5 states.  I have children/grandchildren/pets throughout the US, including Alaska, Oklahoma, and Maine.  I applied to be a Daily Bread volunteer due to 1) a desire to assist folks requiring nutritional assistance, 2) the website depicted a humorous approach and focus/spotlight on teamwork, and 3) the generous Holiday Season bonus - a Christmas cookie.  I have (barely) survived 1.5 years as a volunteer.          

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What is something about you that no one would know? For example, can you juggle, ever run a 10K or gone skydiving, lived in another country, won an award?

 Ambitions:

1) Thru-hike the Appalachian Trail (AT) and, while hiking in Connecticut, volunteer a couple of shifts at Daily Bread and abscond with a Snickers bar.

2) Do not get incarcerated.  

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Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

I can share three quotes:

1) Be a good teammate.

2) See it, do it, teach it.

3) Live to give.

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

Three Dog Night.

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

Spending time and doing anything or nothing with family (including pets). 

Being outdoors.

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Name a favorite junk food.

Nutella Hazelnut Spread.

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

It would be heavenly to travel to Kathmandu and trek to Everest Base Camp. 

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MARIA JOHNSON​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born in Danbury on a cold winter’s day in 19XX. After working in banking for a number of years, I “retired” (at the age of 36) to move to Peru to marry Armando, whom I had met the previous year while I was on vacation in Mexico. At the tender age of 39, I became a mother when Sebastián was born. I came to the Daily Bread by means of a former volunteer, who thought my language “skills” might be useful. I’ve been on board for almost four years.

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What is something about you that no one would know? For example, can you juggle, ever run a 10K or gone skydiving, lived in another country, won an award?

Well, I’ve had the great privilege to spend over twenty-five years of my adult life living in Latin America:

13 years in Peru;

 5 years in the Dominican Republic; 

2-1/2 years in Panama;

5-1/2 years in Nicaragua.

I was born on Friday the 13th, under a full moon, during a Leap Year.

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Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

​My favorite book (surprise, surprise) is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, from which come my two favorite quotes: “I am no bird, and no net ensnares me” and “I would always rather be happy than dignified.”

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

I’m not sure that I have ever been to a rock concert, but I think that the most memorable live performance I’ve attended was when Armando and I attended a “Clásico” at the Camp Nou in Barcelona in 2012. Final score: 2 -2 : 2 goals scored  by Lionel Messi, and 2 by Cristiano Ronaldo. IYKYK. [Ed. note, IYDK, click here].

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

Reading, writing, needle crafts, word games, and watching Barcelona play.

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Name a favorite junk food.

Are cookies considered junk food?

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

My favorite destination, these days, is Haworth in the UK - gotta immerse myself in the Brontë-verse! But if I could travel anywhere - money no object - I would go to Antarctica, with a side trip to South Georgia Island to visit the grave of The Boss. Again, IYKYK. [Ed. note, IYDK, click here].

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JULIE JOHNSON​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born in Danbury and graduated from Stetson University in Florida.  

I retired from Bank of America after 42 years. 

A childhood friend encouraged me to volunteer at the Pantry about 4 years ago.

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What is something about you that no one would know? For example, can you juggle, ever run a 10K or gone skydiving, lived in another country, won an award?

I'm trying to teach myself how to play the banjo.

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Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

Favorite movie - My Favorite Year.

Favorite TV Show - The West Wing.​

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

I went to see Bob Seger at Mohegan Sun a few years back. We had seats in the last row behind the stage. Just before the start, a woman from the venue walked up to us and asked if we wanted better seats - we said Sure! We followed her all the way down to the 3rd Row.  

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

The beach.

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Name a favorite junk food.

​Jelly beans.

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

The British Virgin Islands.

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DIANE SCHMID​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

My name is Diane Halton-Schmid. I grew up in Westchester and Putnam County, NY and moved to Newtown, CT around 8 years ago.  I started volunteering at the Super Pantry on opening day.  My parents owned delicatessens when I was growing up, so stocking shelves, refrigerated cases, and working check-out reminds me of my younger days. It’s a lot of fun and rewarding to help. 

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What is something about you that no one would know? For example, can you juggle, ever run a 10K or gone skydiving, lived in another country, won an award?

I’m missing the creative gene. I cannot draw, sing, dance, sew, keep plants alive, and I’m not athletic.  BUT I can laugh about it. 

 

Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

I read all the Nancy Drew books as a kid, and I still love a good mystery.  I read 19th-century mysteries for a total escape.

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

​Journey and Foreigner at Jones Beach. Great throwback, and they were phenomenal!

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

I love to eat out and am a bit of an amateur food critic. We should start a Daily Bread Dining Club!

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Name a favorite junk food.

Brownies are my all-time favorite. They beat out all other decadent options.

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

Aruba is my favorite destination. I’d rather vacation at the beach than sightsee. All I need is a comfy lounge, an umbrella, a good book, and an iced tea and I’m a happy lady. 

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JAMES FLEMING​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born in Daytona Beach, FL, and raised in Concord, Massachusetts. I've lived in CT since 1982.  I had a career in shipping (ocean transportation) for 42 years. I have lived in Mexico, Spain, and Brazil, and I have been to most countries in Latin America. Married 44 years with 3 children. I came to Daily Bread upon retirement in 2015, as a way to keep busy and give a little back to the community. I guess it is more for my benefit than for the community. The volunteers and the guests are great people to be around. I do some other volunteer work as well. In college, I majored in Spanish and Latin American literature. I speak Spanish and Portuguese, and now am studying French at WCSU.  We have had a couple of Haitian guests at the Pantry and I enjoyed speaking with them, as poor as my French is. 

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What is something about you that no one would know? For example, can you juggle, ever run a 10K or gone skydiving, lived in another country, won an award?

I can whistle two tones at once. I can even whistle three tones at once!

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Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

One of my favorite 5000 books would be Don Quixote.  I have read it in old Spanish, modern Spanish, Old English, and modern English.

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

A tough question.  I saw The Who at The Boston Tea Party in 1970.  Yes, Pete Townshend destroyed the equipment on stage. I saw Mose Allison at Lennie's on the Turnpike in 1970. I saw Michael Tilson Thomas conduct the BSO in 1973. I saw Seiji Ozawa conduct the BSO at Tanglewood in the 1980s. 

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

​Reading, walking, listening to music, and going to the movies.

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Name a favorite junk food.

I'm not a big fan, but it is a good question.

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

​I would like to travel to Hawaii someday.  I have heard that the weather is beautiful there all year long.

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DEBBIE FANTEL​​​

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Danbury is my hometown. I was born and raised here.

 

I had a wonderful 25-year career as a Danbury School Nurse and I am equally happy after being retired for the past 9 years.

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Volunteering is a significant part of my life: I've volunteered at Daily Bread for about 7 years and at Dorothy Day Hospitality House for more years than I can count. My life is very enriched having met so many wonderful dedicated people.

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My husband , Ken, also volunteers at Daily Bread, Dorothy Day and, more recently, at Second Hand Foods in Brewster.

 

Together, we have 3 great kids. Their spouses are part of our family, too.  Best of all, we now have six grandkids.

 

Probably my happiest time is vacationing in Matunuck, RI with our entire family. The house is full, busy, and happy with fishing, clamming, swimming, perfect sunsets, and cocktails!

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You’ll find me gardening when I’m not volunteering or with the grandkids. Whether it’s at my house, or the Danbury Community Garden, attempting to grow tomatoes, or with the Garden Club in various gardens all over  Danbury.

 

Soon, with the help of my brother, Jay Moody, Ken, and fellow Garden Club member and Daily Bread volunteer, Susie Von Eggers, we will be installing raised garden beds at the pantry for vegetable and flower planting.

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CELIA CUK​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born in New York City but lived in Bergen County, NJ until I got married.  We then lived in a few places in NY (Mt. Vernon and Mahopac) before finally settling in CT.  We’ve been in Danbury for almost 37 years and have 2 daughters - Emily and Sarah.  My husband and I are both teachers who taught music in Westchester County, NY. After I retired, I was looking for volunteer opportunities and came across Daily Bread. I knew on my first day of volunteering at DB back in May of 2023 that it was the place I was looking for.

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Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

One of my favorite movies is Moonstruck, along with some of its quotes, e.g., “Snap out of it!”​

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

As a musician and vocal music teacher, I have been to and performed in many concerts.  One of the most memorable, though, was the last performance I conducted with my 8th-grade chorus.  Watching their faces as they sang the songs we had been working on for a few months and seeing the trust and respect the students had for me is something I will never forget and always treasure. This was my last choral conducting performance because COVID hit the following spring.  Live performances were not possible, and I retired a short time after.   

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My first rock concert was a Led Zeppelin concert when I was in high school.

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

I enjoy traveling, reading, gardening, cooking, and playing the piano.

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Name a favorite junk food.

​French fries.

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

One of my favorite destinations is Italy.  My paternal grandparents and maternal great-grandparents emigrated from Italy.  When I visit, I feel like it is my second home.  Another favorite is the beach - anywhere!

 

MARK FLANAGAN​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born in the Bronx, New York. I have lived in Connecticut for 21 years.

I was a Special Education teacher for 40 years and am now retired.

I am married with two children.​​​

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Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

Just today, I heard a line I like: 

"Not to think less of myself, but to think of myself less.”​

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What was the most memorable live entertainment you attended? e.g., What was your first rock concert?

My first rock concert was Jimi Hendrix/Janis Joplin.

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

I like to stay active: run, cycle. Tending my small vegetable garden and taking care of our three dogs.

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Name a favorite junk food.

Ice cream!

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

I loved visiting Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and Guatemala.

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ANDY WILLIAMS​​​

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My very first taste of volunteering came during my sophomore year in college. 

 

I needed a job to help cover the expenses, so I started driving early morning shifts for the local school company. As a rookie, I was given the job of driving underprivileged kids from the local public housing projects.  These kids had no interest in going to school, and it was a nightmare just rounding them up for the ride. 

 

Rather than always showing up an hour late for school, I started bringing a Boombox with me and created a musical bus.  About a month into the job, I turned the bus ride into a karaoke session.  I wrote out the words to some favorites from “Jesus Christ Superstar”, and off we went for the ride. Within 30 days, “My Kids” had memorized the lyrics to “Hosanna” and would jump on the bus the minute I showed up. 

 

Unfortunately, the School District ran out of money and looked to DSS to support all “Public Housing” and “Special Needs” transportation services.  This dispute caused the School Board to suspend all transportation services provided to Public Housing. Rather than letting “My Kids” suffer from this dispute, I made a deal with the school bus company to let me continue driving this route as a volunteer. 

 

I continued driving “My Kids” for the next 12 months without pay. Because I was a volunteer, the School Board had no control over my actual delivery schedule. Each morning when “My Kids” boarded the Bus, we would take 5 minutes to work on songs. Every Friday afternoon, we would stop at my college and perform “Parking Lot Concerts” in front of large crowds of fans waiting for us. We all had the “Time of our Lives”.

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After graduating from college, I became a licensed EMT and spent years volunteering with the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Department.

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In 2001, while living in Ridgefield, I became a foster parent for the State of Connecticut.  In 2012, Connecticut awarded me “Foster Family of the Year”.  As of now, I have raised over 26 foster kids and adopted two.

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Volunteering has always played a major part of my life. 

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LEA DEXTER​​​

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Tell us a bit about yourself -- where were you born, how long in CT, career, kids, grandkids, what brought you to Daily Bread, and how long have you been a volunteer?

I was born at Norwalk, CT hospital and, except for a few years here and there, have lived in the same house all my life. My parents bought it from my grandparents, and I bought it from them. We have two children (a boy and a girl) and five grandchildren (between 10 and 19 years old). I have been volunteering at Daily Bread for a little over two years and came to the pantry through a recommendation by Uncle Leo, the donut and bagel guy from Terrace Place. 

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What is something about you that no one would know? For example, can you juggle, ever run a 10K or gone skydiving, lived in another country, won an award?

For 7-1/2 years, I had a seasonal hot dog and hamburger take-out place. Seven days a week, twelve hours a day. 

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Name a favorite book, movie, TV show, quote, or fortune in a fortune cookie.

My favorite book is the first one I ever read: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Or Truman Capote, as some say. Either way, it’s a great book. ​​ 

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Name some favorite activities and/or hobbies.

I love to travel.

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Name a favorite junk food.

​Popcorn.

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Do you have a favorite destination that you’ve visited? Or if you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would it be?

My favorite destination is Argentina.

I'd love to go to Italy. 

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