June Michaels, SONOMA Food Runners
Bio
Since she was a child, June was drawn to discovering solutions to fulfill needs. Finding ways to buy candy with a second-grade classmate was her first endeavor.
While working as a San Francisco concierge for Marriott International Hotels, June witnessed many items headed for the dumpster which charities could put to use.
She co-founded the San Francisco Hotels/Nonprofits Collaboration to efficiently find homes for the 1500-room hotel’s enormous surplus. Soon volunteering and recycling were added to the donation program creating a multi-award-winning Community Building program. It was at a San Francisco Hotels/Nonprofits Collaboration meeting that June first met Mary Risley, of the Tante Marie Cooking School and founder of Food Runners San Francisco. After June moved to Santa Rosa, Food Runners San Francisco would call when there was a wine country wedding party who wanted to donate their surplus food. While serving on AB 939, June learned about the shocking tonnage of food going into the landfill. Soon after, the County’s Hunger Index study announced that 1 in 6 locals were missing meals. SONOMA Food Runners was born shortly after.
June is a founding member of the Sonoma County Food Recovery Coalition and serves on Sonoma County Hunger Coalition. SONOMA Food Runners participated in the 2019 pilot Summer Meals Food Recovery Project. During our last 3 fires, SONOMA Food Runners actively worked to provide food and necessities.
SONOMA Food Runners offers opportunities to meet the most fascinating folks: the farmers who grow our food, donors in food businesses, diverse recipients, and other passionate change-making volunteers.