How Rick and Teresa Denniston Bring Hope to Their Community

For Rick and Teresa Denniston, volunteering isn’t just about handing out food—it’s about restoring dignity, lifting spirits, and reminding people that they are never alone. Their volunteerism with the Redwood Empire Food Bank has been one of service, camaraderie, and compassion, touching the lives of thousands, including one woman who never imagined she’d find herself in a food bank distribution line.

A Shared Mission of Giving Back

Rick, a Vietnam veteran, first started volunteering at the Redwood Empire Food Bank’s Veteran’s Memorial Building Food Distribution after joining his local Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter. Many of his fellow veterans had been supporting the effort for years, and he was eager to join them. 

Around the same time, his wife, Teresa, a longtime volunteer at The Living Room—a shelter for homeless women and children—had seen just how crucial the food bank was in keeping families fed. Their shared passion for service brought them together, and soon, they were side by side handing out food to anyone who needed it.

The Veterans Memorial Building distribution grew into a massive operation, serving 400 to 500 families per shift. Despite the hot sun or heavy rain, the volunteers never gave up. “This is the hardest-working group of volunteers I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” Rick says. “Always cheerful, always kind—to the clients and to each other.”

It was this kindness that made the greatest impact, not just on the volunteers but on those who came for help.

A Mother’s Breaking Point

Among those who stepped into the food line was a woman who had reached her breaking point. “I was just laid off,” she later shared. “I have three kids, and my husband is currently in dialysis. When they say to find the silver lining, believe me, I was trying hard.”

She had spent weeks telling herself they weren’t struggling enough to come to the food bank. She feared taking food from someone else who might need it more. But hunger has a way of stripping away pride, and when her children began telling her that dinner wasn’t enough to keep their hunger away, she knew she had no choice.

A friend told her about the distribution at the Veterans Memorial Building, and with the last bit of gas in her car, she drove there—only to sit in the parking lot, debating whether she could go through with it. “I contemplated staying in the car so no one could see me. But I realized I didn’t have that luxury—my gas was already running low.”

When she finally stepped into line, shame weighed on her shoulders. She was embarrassed, shy, and, most of all, feeling completely alone. But then, something unexpected happened.

“I saw all of these volunteers, smiling, talking to the other people in line as if they were talking to a friend. They weren’t asking questions. They weren’t looking at me like I was gross. Or making fun of me. I had already decided those things would happen, but instead, for the first time in a long time, I was just me—a woman getting groceries to bring home to my family.”

And among those smiling volunteers? Rick and Teresa Denniston.

Serving Those Who Served

While Rick and Teresa didn’t know this mother’s story at the time, they had seen that look before—the hesitance, the shame, the internal battle people fought just to step into line. It’s why they greet every person with warmth, why they make conversation with the kids, and why they treat everyone as equals. Because hunger doesn’t define a person.

Last year, when the Redwood Empire Food Bank opened the new food distribution at the VA Clinic on Challenger Way, Rick transitioned there to serve military veterans and active-duty service members. The program started small, but the need grew, and it now serves around 100 families every week.

For Rick, this distribution is about more than food—it’s about connection. “It’s fun to joke about inter-service rivalries and the differences between younger and older veterans,” he says. “But at the heart of it, we’re all here to support each other.”

Veterans make up a significant portion of those experiencing food insecurity. To better support this community, the Redwood Empire Food Bank launched Operation End Hunger, a program dedicated to serving veterans and active-duty service members. In 2024 alone, this initiative provided assistance to over 3,000 veterans. Today, we operate two dedicated distribution sites—Windsor Veterans Village and the South Santa Rosa VA Clinic—ensuring that those who served receive the nourishment and support they deserve.

The challenges of food insecurity in the military community are complex. Frequent relocations disrupt employment opportunities for military spouses, often leaving families dependent on a single income. Many veterans live with service-related disabilities, increasing medical expenses and limiting their ability to work. By bringing food distributions to locations like the VA Clinic, the Redwood Empire Food Bank not only provides nourishment but also connects veterans with essential resources to help them regain stability.

More Than Just a Meal

For Rick and Teresa, the food bank represents more than just food—it’s a source of hope. Whether it’s a mother struggling to provide for her children or a veteran finding camaraderie among fellow service members, every moment is a testament to the power of community and the volunteers who show up for one another.

“The gratitude of those we serve is what keeps us going,” Rick shares. “The Redwood Empire Food Bank is an incredible organization, and we’re honored to be part of it.”

For one mother, that gratitude became something even more profound—a reminder that kindness still exists, dignity can be restored, and sometimes, hope arrives in the form of a bag of groceries and the warm smile of a volunteer.