Mr. David and Rev. Dr. Susanna Singer have been Bay Area residents for 35 years, and advocates for its most vulnerable residents for that same tenure. Both born and raised in London, Susanna recalls that, while her family led a modest life, they always did for others and taught their children to have the same mindset.
“It was an absolute given that we should give back; it’s kind of bred in the bone,” says Susanna. “Our mother in some way was always organized in service outside of the home. It was just normal for her to do that; she has always done it. It was a value we grew up with.”
When they moved to the Bay Area in 1981, David started work in Silicon Valley and Susanna began her training to become a priest.
It was in 2001, around the time of the first recession, that Susanna and David began giving to the Food Bank. Susanna recalls she and David reading an article in the San Francisco Chronicle on food insecurity, and they knew they wanted to join the Food Bank in becoming part of the solution. Their first visit to the pantry and warehouse, where they witnessed the amount of fresh produce distributed, the quality of the food and the efficiency of the regional operation, served to impress them.
“That visit sealed the deal in terms of making it a regular part of our local giving,” says Susanna.
In addition to their annual giving, Susanna and David recently incorporated charitable provisions to the Food Bank into their estate planning, helping to ensure the future of the organization. They have become members of the Food For Life Circle.
“We thought, the Food Bank isn’t going anywhere; there is longevity to it. And the need is going to be there too,” explains Susanna. “It’s really very simple. The Food Bank is the best way we’ve seen to get food to people who need it.”
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