Witek, chairman of the Kendall County Community Food Pantry Inc.

Following a year of turmoil, including theft and the death of its former director, the Kendall County Food Pantry is making some major changes.

On Aug. 11, the Kendall County Food Pantry officially changed its name to The Kendall County Community Food Pantry Incorporated.

As a result, a new board of directors (led by chairman Greg Witek, CEO of PagePath Technologies, KenCom’s Executive Board Chair and Little Rock-Fox Fire Department chief) has been chosen.

“Several of these board members have a lot of stature in the community and have been a part of boards in the past that deal with large sums of money,” Witek said. “My hope is by presenting these new 12 who are above reproach, it will alleviate  financial concerns.

“We’re not trying to pretend and investigation isn’t going on. It is. But, it’s nearing an end.”

There’s no time to not move forward, Witek said, there’s and creating a new corporation was that first step.

Witek said that based on legal advice, it became apparent that there could potentially be some legal fallout following an investigation into the theft of more than $100,000 from the food pantry.

The former executive director of the Kendall County Food Pantry Maria Spaeth was under investigation before dying in her home June 21 from a drug overdose.

The investigation focuses on former food pantry director Maria Spaeth and her husband Kenneth Spaeth, who both resigned from the food pantry board in June.
Maria Spaeth was found dead of a drug overdose at a house in Lake Holiday on June 21.

And, while the investigation continues, Witek said there’s no time to remain stagnant. By creating the new corporation, the group has found a way “so the existing food pantry isn’t somehow closed or interrupted,” Witek said.

“The longer we talk, the more you’ll hear me say that our number one mission is to continue to love and care for those in need. Everyone is aligned on that. We will be open every Thursday and have the volunteers and food and product we’ve always had.”

In addition to Witek, other members of the new Kendall County Community Food Pantry Board are Dwight Baird, Kendall County Sheriff; Rick Bill, operations director of the Kendall County Community Food Pantry; Stan Free, executive vice-president, First National Bank; Jackie Kowalski, Millbrook village president; Fred Kreinbrink, operations manager, city of Naperville Electric; Becky Morphey,  chairman of the Fox Valley YMCA board; Larry Nelson, CEO of Nelson Multimedia and KenCom finance chair; Tandy Pinter, office manager, Kendall County Community Food Pantry; Steve Steinwart, president of Meadow Dairy; Grant Wegner, retired chief judge and counsel to Mahoney, Silverman and Cross Law Firm.

“All 12 of us have a heart for the food pantry,” Witek said. “All 12 of us have touched the food pantry in one way or another.”

Witek has spent at least seven Thursday afternoons at the pantry to gauge where things stand following the theft investigation. He noted that volunteers and product are arriving as normal.

“(The volunteers) have great attitudes,” Witek said. “When they heard that the new board was very focused on the clients and the need, they gave us applause. That mission is so close to their hearts.”

During the time of transition, Witek said the board is focusing on making sure its financial ducks are in a row.

“One of the things that we are doing is bringing to the table a squeaky clean method of doing donations and tracking,” Witek said, noting that major sponsors and donors and volunteers have continued to support the pantry over the recent months.

“The feedback from the public has been that yeah, mistakes happen,” Witek said. “Which is why we jumped in and changed things so quickly. How the previous board ran or what happened, I can’t say. I know the investigation was due and they did find wrong doing, and (police) are taking the next steps.”

Just as the new board is, Witek said, and the work continues in serving the community.

“We continue, as always, to have work for volunteers who have a heart in caring for these clients,” Witek said.

For volunteer opportunities visit http://kendallcountyfoodpantry.org/

For more information, please contact the new Kendall County Community Food Pantry at  info@kccfp.orgor (630) 708-2208.

— Kendall food pantry gets new leadership, seeks fresh start —