Javier “Shorty” Fimbres (’77) and 44 Douglas Area Food Bank volunteers make sure hungry individuals and families are served consistently and respectfully. Email your community service story to alumni@cochise.edu.
If you don’t already volunteer for the Douglas Area Food Bank, you’ll want to by the time you finish a tour with Javier “Shorty” Fimbres (’77).
Fimbres became food bank president in 2010 and recently earned recognition as the first Carol Huddleston Volunteer of the Year, presented by the Arizona Community Foundation of Cochise. The award is named for a long-time community servant who passed away earlier this year.
Fimbres, who played second base as a Cochise College student, retired from the City of Douglas Water Department in 2009 after 32 years. Prior service in the Army National Guard and the Arizona Air Force Air Guard has helped him make the little food bank on the border the envy of others around the state. He’s done it by following best practices and investing in volunteers. Scheduling and coordinating is a huge part of the job, and 44 unpaid personnel:
• Pick up food from local donors and businesses, such as Walmart
• Process incoming food, which includes weighing, checking temperature, and appropriately storing items
• Maintain detailed records of food received and distributed
• Distribute food to 10-30 families each Tuesday and Thursday, plus one Monday per month
• Deliver to 55 homebound individuals
• Register new food bank customers after their first visit
• Pay the necessary bills, keep the books, and generate reports and tax forms
• Seek opportunities to maintain items for operation and apply for grants
There is something to do almost every day, and it’s all coordinated by Fimbres. The volunteers don’t require his direct supervision, however; training has been a priority, and they all know what to do. At a minimum, they’ve had food-handling training; some are forklift operators. Minutes after food distribution, tables previously covered with crates of food are spotless and the volunteers have gone. They’ll be back for the next distribution. No worries.
Thanks to Fimbres’ extensive connections and ability to demonstrate the quality and accountability of the entire operation, the food bank has received two trucks and a fork lift used in regular operations. It’s also been on the receiving end of grants.
Fimbres played baseball at Cochise College from 1975 to 1977 and chose to remain in his hometown after graduation.
For Fimbres, volunteering isn’t an obligation. It’s a lifelong habit. His philosophy is that if you’re not willing to make change, it’s better not to complain. So the list of beneficiaries of his time is too long to print. But it goes back to his high school days, when he was in charge of elections and the Noblemen’s Club. At Cochise, he played baseball and was active in the Student Government Association, which brought performers like Wild Cherry and ShaNaNa to campus. He coordinates a golf gathering – complete with prizes – for a group of classmates. Fimbres is especially proud of starting the Douglas T-Ball League in the late 1980s.
In addition to his food bank work, Fimbres is a member of the Arizona ASA (Amateur Softball Association) Umpire Association and is working on construction of a bicycle racing track to be located at the city’s Airport Park.
Email your community service story to alumni@cochise.edu.