Staff
For all general inquiries, please call us at (406) 443-3663 or email us at [email protected].
Bruce Day
Executive Director
443-3663 ext. 108
Bruce came to Helena Food Share as Executive Director in 2015 and has served with Montana nonprofits for over 20 years. When he’s not at the helm of the Helena Food Share ship, Bruce can be found camping, hiking or hanging out with family. Bruce’s favorite meal from childhood is his Grandma Amada’s Arroz con Pollo. “No one else can make it like she did,” Bruce says.
Tim Joyce
Development Director
443-3663 ext. 104
Tim hails from the Midwest – Michigan and, most recently, Chicago. His Montana roots started with an early music teaching stint in Fort Smith, and he has many family members throughout Big Sky Country. After working over 20 years in the nonprofit sector, Tim still loves seeing the direct results of people pulling together for a common good. He is looking forward to working with and being part of the Helena community. He can’t wait to get out into to the quiet places and throw a line in the water. He has a weakness for his wife’s baked goods, enjoys making Italian food from scratch, and loves cooking over a campfire.
Kim Dale
Program Operations Director
443-3663 ext. 110
As Kim describes it, she grew up in “The land of plenty (East Helena), where the bounty of Montana has nourished me with food, family and friends.” Kim appreciates spending time outside in Montana’s stunning flora and fauna. The breweries in Montana also have a special place in her heart. The smiles, laughter, tears and joy that make up a day at Helena Food Share are what make Kim love her job so much. Kim has a sweet tooth for her mother’s Swedish toffee cookies.
Patty White
Communications Director
443-3663 ext. 109
Patty is a long-time Helena resident who has worked in the nonprofit sector (Carroll College, the Montana Nonprofit Association, the Helena Symphony and the Holter Museum of Art) in Executive Director and Marketing & Communication roles for most of her career. She also served on the Helena City Commission and loves the Helena community. Outside of work, you will often find Patty hiking Montana’s trails with her family, friends, and her canine best friend, Maggie. Patty is always on the look-out for new recipes using her favorite vegan ingredients but dark chocolate is always a staple.
Maddie Balachowski
Development Manager
443-3663 ext. 150
Growing up in Kansas City, MO Maddie started work in non-profit and event planning in 2017. Having come from a health-focused non-profit she is excited to help those facing hunger in the Helena community! A transplant, Maddie and her husband have fallen in love with everything Helena has to offer from its small town feel to the giant mountains surrounding. When not working, you can find her with her two rescue pups exploring the local scenery or downtown participating in the festivities.
Cathy Ransier
Volunteer & Food Drive Coordinator
443-3663 ext. 106
Cathy was born and raised in Helena and volunteered at Helena Food Share before joining this exceptional team. Always a home cook, making sure all tables have quality food in this community is a fulfilling way to spend each day. When she’s not assisting in the pantry, Cathy enjoys reading, gardening, fly fishing, and hanging out with her grandchildren.
Sally Beck
Kitchen Manager
443-3663 ext. 102
Sally is originally from New York City, but has now been in Helena for over twenty-five years and considers Montana her forever home. When Sally’s kids were young, she couldn’t always make ends meet even with two jobs and was a Helena Food Share customer. She says, “It’s exciting to be able to pay it forward!” She is a food enthusiast and professional baker and has owned her own restaurant. She is a regular chef demonstrating new recipes on our Charlie Cart, and she writes our monthly food column, “Eat Well & Share” in the Independent Record as well as providing content for our recipe page on this website.
Joel Morey
Operations Coordinator
443-3663
Joel has lived in Helena, Missoula, and Bozeman and thinks they’re all great communities. His hobbies include hiking, frisbee golf, painting, and gardening. He has a major sweet tooth and loves marshmallows! His favorite thing about Helena Food Share is probably the opportunity to reduce food waste while helping community members at the same time.
Denise Trautman
Development Assistant
443-3663 ext. 103
Denise began working here at Helena Food Share as a valued volunteer at the Pantry on Wednesday mornings. Denise has a strong background in accounting and hotel management and puts these skills to work at the Administrative offices as the Development Assistant. Denise loves bringing treats into the office to ensure her coworkers are happy.
Dave Anderson
Driver
443-3663
Dave is a Montana boy, originally from Twin Bridges. He spent 13 years working overseas, with the Vietnamese Boat People in Hong Kong and the poor living on the garbage dump of Manila. His calling is to the poor and needy of this world. Raised bed gardening is his favorite summer activity; raising grapes and apples to produce his own grape juice and jelly and apple sauce. Chili’s is his favorite restaurant with chicken enchiladas a favorite food.
Jonathan Hockett
Nutrition Program Coordinator
443-3663
Jonathan grew up in Dillon, MT, before heading to Bozeman, where he met his wife shoveling sheep manure to use in gardens around town. After subsequent manure shoveling and other shenanigans, he eventually earned a degree in sustainable food and bioenergy systems from MSU. After college, he spent several years working on vegetable farms and working in group homes and care facilities. He enjoys spending his free time with his family and being in the great outdoors as much as possible. His favorite meals are those that he has had a hand in growing or harvesting himself, and he enjoys cooking and sharing the harvest with those around him. He is thrilled to be a part of the Helena Food Share team and to get more involved in the Helena community.
Joe Wodnik
Driver
443-3663
Steve Brewster
Driver
443-3663
Steve says he is from both Bozeman and Billings. His favorite go-to snack is dessert. If he had to rank his hobbies, his children would earn the #1 spot followed by travel and sports. When asked what he loves most about Helena Food Share, Steve’s answer is simple: “People. Staff, volunteers, customers.”
Jim Reynolds
Driver
443-3663
Leroy Zent
Driver
443-3663
Leroy was born and raised in Mandan, North Dakota and enjoyed many summers of fishing the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota. Leroy spent a career in the military and retired in 2010 from the Portland Air National Guard. The camaraderie of the staff and the volunteers at Helena Food Share makes work feel like a second home to Leroy. His passions include cooking, woodworking, and reading. Leroy loves a good Mexican meal, but you won’t find him in the mariachi band as he claims to have no talent for singing or dancing.