“Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to give to others. And, when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our spirit which is THE ultimate goal of all goals.” ~ Kallam Anji Reddy
Tonya Hairston gives off sparks. She is a clap of joyous thunder upon the nonprofit scene as the Food Pantry Manager at Crisis Control Ministry. Her dedication to the population she serves daily is inspirational and infectious. She is on the front line of providing those in need with sustenance and hope. Here is her story and her purpose.
Where did you grow up? Tell us about your childhood and formative years.
I am from Winston-Salem. My mother died when I was seven years old. My sister and I were raised by my mother’s brother and his family. My childhood was pretty much me just trying to fit in. I have struggled on occasion because my mom passed when I was so young, and so I certainly had low self esteem and low self worth. I was an angry kid, teenager and then young adult who was just finding my way.
Tell us about your career path leading up to where you are today; and, be sure to tell us about the transition into working for a nonprofit.
My career path has been a winding road.
I started working for my uncle when I was 13 years old. He owned a janitorial business, and I worked for him until I was 18. I went on to work in housekeeping at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. After that, I worked as a CNA and then customer service for UPS.
I worked my first retail job full time at Dillard’s. From there, I went on to work my first corporate job at Aon Consulting. I always worked retail jobs part time even when I had other full time employment as a claim processor for more than 18 years.
I eventually realized that I was happier working retail jobs, so I left my processor job and jumped into retail full time. I was in my mid-40s at that point, and everyone thought that I was insane to make the complete transition to retail. But, I realized I was not happy in the corporate world, and I needed to go where I felt I belonged. I was fascinated with people. I went to work at Lowe’s Hardware full time. I held several positions at Lowe’s until I applied for my first full time nonprofit job which was at the Enrichment Center.
I was a job coach for individuals with developmental disabilities. I started with them in June of 2021, and I worked for them until January 2023. I took a long, hard look at my life in April 2024 when I was also working for a grocery chain part time and realized, at age 52, I wanted to do nonprofit work permanently. I wanted something where I could use all my knowledge and skills and feel passionate about the work. It was nothing short of a blessing that Crisis Control Ministry was hiring for a Food Pantry Manager. This job at Crisis Control Ministry was made for me.
Provide one or two anecdotes pertaining to the celebration of service that Crisis Control Ministry provides.
There are so many stories that I could share.
We had a woman who was homeless at the Bethesda Center beside us at Crisis Control. She’d finally gotten rehoused and needed help from Crisis Control Ministry for her housing deposit, and she also needed food. She came into the Food Pantry so excited about our services. We are very blessed to get flowers from our partnering grocery store in the area, and we gave her two dozen roses along with food to last her a few weeks.
The flowers were so special because she’d never been given flowers, and it touched her deeply.
We also once had a man who had been sick and lost his job. He needed medication, rent and utilities help as well as food. He and his large family came to us for assistance and received his and his son’s medication. We assisted with all utility payments, and he assumed that he was only going to get a small box of food. He and his family of six received more than 200 pounds of food. The joy upon all their faces was wonderful. I will say that I often cry a lot of tears of joy at my job.
What specifically do people need to know about what you all do there at Crisis Control Ministry?
We are the largest Emergency Assistance Provider in Forsyth County. We provide short term emergency services for residents of Forsyth and Stokes County including rent and mortgage payments as well as utility bill assistance. We provide food from our client-choice food pantry. We also provide medication from our licensed free pharmacy. Our Client Choice Food Pantry offers healthy food demonstrations with a nutritionist using the food that’s donated to our pantry. We provide this service biweekly so that our clients can make healthier choices for themselves.
Talk about the term “food desert” and how it affects those you serve.
There are 21 “food deserts” in Winston-Salem, and we (Winston-Salem) are ranked 7th on the national list of food hardships. A “food desert” is an area that has limited access to quality, nutritious, affordable and healthy food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Neighborhoods that are considered food deserts are low-income areas with limited access to transportation. For the community that we serve, this is the predominant reason for their crisis. If I’m in an area where I cannot get to healthier foods or healthier options, I eat what I have. That may create health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol issues which then can lead to strokes, heart attacks or, even worse, death of a loved one which will put the person or family in a crisis where they cannot work.
How can our readership get involved with your mission?
It all goes back to “Donate, Donate, Donate.” We would love to partner with local gardeners and farmers to get fresh fruits and vegetables for the clients we serve. When donating any canned goods, any items that are low sodium or no salt added would help tremendously. Low sugar items are always welcomed. Canned fruit and unsweetened apple sauce work as well.
Our Client Choice Food Pantry was just recognized as a NEFPAT (Nutrition Environment Food Pantry Assessment Tool) Gold Nourishing Food Pantry for our efforts to provide our clients with healthy food alternatives, diverse fruits and vegetables and providing alternative eating options, and that’s all from the donations that we receive.
Learn more about Crisis Control Ministry at crisiscontrol.org.