The South East Nourish Food Bank, the largest one in Pierce County, serves nearly 1,000 families each week with the help of 130 volunteers. And none of the volunteers, says manager Steve Curry, is “more important or impactful” than Carolyn Thompson.

That’s one reason why Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) named Thompson as the 2019 recipient of its John Briehl Award for Outstanding Community Service.

Nancy McFarland, director of the RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) at LCSNW, said Thompson (who accepted the award during an LCSNW fund-raising luncheon in March at STAR Center in Tacoma) has contributed 900-plus hours of service during her time as an RSVP participant. Thompson serves the food bank as the floor coordinator during the distribution process every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, mentors new volunteers, coordinates the flow of food coming into the food bank, “and always makes everyone at the food bank feel positive about themselves,” McFarland said.

“She is a shining star, and there is no question in my mind that she is one of the most, if not the most committed volunteer at the Nourish food banks,” McFarland said.

Thompson also has volunteered with a non-profit organization called House My People and at Birney Elementary School in Tacoma.