Our Staff
Brewster Hamm
President and CEO
About Brewster
Brewster began his relationship with MOWWM in January of 2013. Prior to that, he founded and led an Organizational Consulting firm, The Brewster Group, which focused on helping individuals and organizations to function more effectively. He also held a variety of leadership positions at Steelcase for over 20 years. When asked to join the MOWWM team, Brewster accepted with the knowledge of our mission being critical to keeping seniors healthy and independent. The demographics show that the need for helping seniors is growing at an astounding rate. He was eager to join in the fight against senior hunger and isolation. Within the next 20 years, seniors in Kent County are expected to double due to the aging of the Baby Boomer demographic. Brewster sees his role as being strategic in helping move the organization forward and as a barrier remover to assist in forward growth for the staff and the organization as a whole. Aside from Brewster’s commitment to serving the senior community, he is also an active member on the Board of Michigan Coalition against Homelessness, where he served 8 years as the Board Chair and 12 years as a member. “We have a great team! Without them we could not do what we do; last year over 450,000 meals were delivered to homebound seniors! I’m fortunate to have a job that I love and feel grateful every day for the opportunity to help our seniors thrive.”
Darin Hodde
Chief Financial Officer
About Darin
Darin Hodde, our CFO, started at MOWWM in June 2010. Before coming to the agency, he gained experience in many industries in the profit and not-for-profit arenas. When he came to MOWWM, he was looking for a position that enabled him to be making a difference in people’s lives. He feels that he has found that place here at Meals on Wheels. “All of our decisions are made with the impact to better the lives of seniors that we serve.” In his free time, Darin enjoys performing through barbershop singing with the Great Lakes Chorus, where he is the current Treasurer of the organization.
Lisa Wideman
Chief Operating Officer
About Lisa
Lisa Wideman started at MOWWM in April of 2009 as Director of Operations after 12 years at Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan. Her change in roles had largely to do with her wanting to make a more direct impact on the lives of older adults. Lisa loves working with the team to make our program better for our clients. Lisa, who has a B.S. in Foods and Nutrition from Michigan State University, is heavily involved in menu planning and ensuring our meals meet strict nutrition guidelines. “I can’t think of a better way to use my education and experience than helping older adults”, says Lisa, “I love this program.”
Tammy Mick
Kitchen Manager and Community Programs Manager
About Tammy
Tammy Mick is the Community Programs Manager for Meals on Wheels Western Michigan, beginning her role in 2015. She ensures that our Dining Centers exceed the expectations of our funders and meet the requirements of our local Health Department. Tammy enjoys working with the aging population because of their interesting stories and diverse backgrounds. She believes that seniors have a vibrant energy that many may fail to recognize. The seniors she sees makes coming to “work” not a job but a lifestyle. “I love working here because it seems we serve a forgotten population that has driven our society for many years and as they pass the torch, we have the privilege to nourish the mind and body of the thousands of seniors we serve.”
Dave Woudstra
Delivery and Distribution Manager
About Dave
In December of 2009, Dave began his work with MOWWM as a driver. His role has since gone through many changes, from a driver, to Distribution Clerk, to Congregate Supervisor, to Delivery Supervisor, and finally to his most current role as our Delivery and Distribution Manager. Dave specializes in logistics management. He oversees the details/scheduling/systems involved in MOWWM’s delivery processes, as well as manages the personnel required to do so. As a very mission-minded person, Dave feels right at home at MOWWM. Working with MOWWM has allowed him to be creative and have a focus that is in helping people. “I am a strong believer that access to food is a RIGHT, not a privilege.” As lifespans get longer and the senior demographic grows, “I would hope for a boundary-less culture both inside and out, where caring and compassionate agencies and likeminded folks all over the community come together with those of us at MOWWM and accept nothing less than making a space for all ‘at-the-table.’ I would hope for us to come together, and meet these challenges not with apathy, but rather with a zealousness, and a fundamental vision that all will ‘eat.’”
Riana Pearce
In Home Services Manager
About Riana
Riana Pearce began her journey at MOWWM in 2012 as a volunteer delivery driver. While working towards her B.A. in Social Psychology she became interested in working with the elderly and thought this experience would be a perfect way for her to “test the waters” and also give back to the seniors in her community. “I was raised to believe that volunteering should be a constant in my life and knew I had a passion for serving the elderly.” Through Riana’s volunteering, she ended up building very strong relationships with many of the seniors, and her six month volunteering plan quickly turned into a year and a half of life-enriching experiences. It was clear that Riana had fostered a passion for MOWWM’s work when she was hired as a Client Assessor in 2013. Visiting with our clients and seeing the need in our community first hand reinforced her belief in the strong impact our program has on the lives of seniors. After two years as an Assessor, Riana was offered the position of Volunteer Administrator, which she held for a number of months before transiting into her current role as In Home Services Manager. “For me, my journey here has come full circle, and I am driven by my dedication to see that our seniors, the wisest of us all, receive the help and care they deserve.”
Danielle Simmons
Food Pantry Manager
About Danielle
Danielle Simmons started at MOWWM as the Food Pantry Manager in May 2000. Before pursuing this career, Danielle worked in retail and distribution for 10 years. Her background in the grocery business gave her the knowledge and experience to operate successful food pantries for the elderly. Danielle oversees all pantry operations, which includes: purchasing food orders, coordinating volunteer projects, maintaining all records, organizing food drives, coordinating Project Fresh (a farmers market program), and serving as a community liaison on related committees to coordinate efforts with other older adult programs. “I believe the food pantry is a blessing in many ways. With the rise in food costs, seniors need additional help to ensure they are receiving an adequate amount of food and nutrition. Our pantry is able to provide them with these needs.”
Krissy Thomas
Volunteer Manager
About Krissy
Krissy began her journey at MOWWM in October 2016 after graduating from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. Throughout her time at GVSU, Krissy was involved with a student-run volunteer organization called Alternative Breaks that brought together groups of students looking to give back to their community in different ways. Involvement in this organization, as well as her study of general communication behaviors, cemented her passion for people and the desire to help those in need. Krissy had been looking for a place like Meals on Wheels to begin her career in the non-profit world, where she is surrounded by like-minded co-workers whom are all working toward something bigger than themselves. She was drawn to the mission and wants to bring to light a community that may be too often forgotten, especially among young people. “Education is huge for me, if people simply know more about an issue, they are more inclined to help,” she says. As the Volunteer Manager, Krissy strives to engage volunteers in the mission of caring and learning from the seniors in our community, as well as to further expand the involvement of volunteers within the organization. “For me, it’s the connections we make with others that give our lives meaning.”
Caleb Caterino
Facilities Manager
About Caleb
Caleb began working at Meals on Wheels in early 2010. What started as a part time delivery job turned into a passion and career. Caleb quickly fell in love with helping the seniors, especially those in inner city Grand Rapids. He found too many people living alone and in need of help. He decided his calling was to help those people.
In his current role as Facilities Manager he works on the building upkeep and improvement projects. He also works with equipment maintenance, safety, and product storage. Caleb has worked in several roles within the company, doing what needs to be done. He says “I have done several things here; I want to help where I can. I love improving systems, processes, and our facility to better support our clients, employees, and volunteers. I just want to make things better.”
