Tables Turned at Food Network Celebration Dinner:

Community Honors Founder Becky Smyth

The tables were turned at the recent Cochise County Food Network (CCFN) Celebration Dinner, held October 3 in Sierra Vista, when partners surprised Becky Smyth, Outreach Coordinator for the Legacy Foundation of Southern Arizona, with a heartfelt show of appreciation for her leadership and dedication.

Smyth founded the Cochise County Food Network in November 2022, creating a collaborative network among food pantries to address hunger throughout the county. Since then, she has coordinated a $1 million state grant, organized bi-monthly meetings, and initiated a countywide food drive.

At the dinner—catered by Alladin Catering on the Cochise College Sierra Vista Campus—Smyth had intended to thank CCFN partners for their support. Instead, the partners turned the spotlight on her. Wendee Grinde, recently hired as the Network’s first Coordinator, presented Smyth with a gift basket featuring items from the network partners, a Norman Rockwell “Golden Rule” trivet, and flowers symbolizing gratitude and connection. Smyth was deeply moved by the unexpected tribute.

Grinde shared her progress since taking on the coordinator role, including visits to multiple county food pantries, participation in the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona’s annual conference, and involvement in statewide anti-hunger advocacy. She also launched new social media channels and began implementing a national referral system to connect families in need with both emergency food and long-term support.

Grinde outlined her next steps for the Network:

Advocacy and education

Strengthening partnerships among county food agencies

Expanding food access and referral services

Promoting hunger awareness through outreach and community engagement

She also announced plans for the second annual Countywide Food Drive, noting that “15% of Cochise County residents are food insecure, and our poverty rate remains higher than the state average. We need to educate our community about the severity of food insecurity and how they can help.”

Sarah Pacheco, Director of Peach’s Pantry, praised Grinde’s work: “We hired the right person to take this network to the next level. Wendee jumped right in and has already made a positive impact.”

Tami Marks, Sr. Director of Food Security, and Brianna Encinas, Partners Program Coordinator at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (CFBSA), shared that CFBSA distributed 3.7 million pounds of food across Cochise County last year, reaching nearly 36,000 individuals.

The Cochise County Food Network pilot coordinator position is funded by the Legacy Foundation of Southern Arizona and Arizona Complete Health.