the fit and food connection: to provide healthy living resources through food assistance, physical fitness and nutrition to low-income families throughout the greater St. Louis area
meet volunteer bud jones of brentwood
How long have you been a volunteer?
Just about six months. I’m kind of the new guy.
What made you interested in this particular cause?
Like many people, I’d previously dabbled in volunteering. When I lived in Michigan, I worked with underprivileged kids. After moving to St. Louis, I was busy with work, but now, I am semi-retired. I was looking for something to do on a regular basis other than play golf! I met with The Fit and Food Connection and was blown away by all they do with volunteers. The operation is 100 percent run by volunteers, and there is so much drive and dedication. They were looking for someone to help from a sales and marketing perspective, which is my area of expertise. It’s enlightening to be part of the group; being needed makes everyone feel good. Co-directors Joy Millner and Gabi Cole (pictured) have such dedication to their mission statement. It’s amazing to see what they do and how excited they get about their work. Their passion is so contagious. I’m happy to have found them and be putting in the time.
What kind of volunteer work are you involved with?
I wear lots of hats. One is to connect with organizations and create partnerships, like with the HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum. I also work with our grant writer. My job is to follow up on grant applications we’ve sent out to companies. I look at the business side of the organization and figure out how to create more awareness. It can take a lot of time, especially when you don’t have the money to put into social media or digital marketing, but we’ve been lucky. We have been noticed by media entities and have global connections. We all wake up every morning thinking about how to make St. Louis a healthier place. It’s very gratifying. A contact in Bosnia is helping us set up a website and social media presence.
If you could do anything for the organization, what would it be?
I would like to see The Fit and Food Connection grow outside the St. Louis area. The business model that is in place can be utilized elsewhere. Our friends in other cities marvel at the different things we offer. It would be very exciting to leverage our success here to help other parts of the country. That is my long-range plan. When I sat down with Joy and Gabi, I asked them for a wish list. They both wanted to make the organization the best in St. Louis. I threw out the possibility of looking at other markets, and they agreed. Both ladies are so inspirational. They have an unbelievable passion, and we’re making huge steps forward.
in the words of the fit and food connection: “Bud is always out in the community making connections and sharing The Fit and Food Connection. He believes strongly in what we are doing and has the ability to tell our story in a very powerful way. What Bud does is more impactful than simply sending an email, and his work has helped us create awareness and provided us with many new relationships.”
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