The Jefferson County Food Bank Association lost another volunteer July 3, bringing the current tally, by some accounts, to more than 20 since the arrival of a new executive director in November 2023.

It marks the third volunteer to be relieved of their duties in as many weeks, and the incident underscores the friction and distrust between those who worked for volunteer managers prior to the arrival of executive director Patricia Hennessy.

“I’m the twenty-second person that’s been fired so far by her,” said 12-year volunteer Terri Twyman.

Hennessy, in a previous interview, put the tally of lost volunteers closer to ten. Some resigned, she said, but others were, in fact, asked to leave.

Twyman said she thinks she was fired for her reluctance to hand out diapers to certain Quilcene Food Bank patrons. Tywman said she was concerned the diapers were going to be used to grow marijuana and she brought her concerns to her manager’s attention.

On July 3, according to Twyman, Hennessy held a volunteer appreciation meeting at the Quilcene Food Bank, and after the meeting, Hennessy terminated Twyman’s volunteer status.

When asked to confirm the details of Twyman’s termination, Hennessy did not respond.

Problems at the Food Bank first came to head in April, with the ousting of former Tri-Area Food Bank managers John and Sue Laird. That incident led to allegations volleyed from both sides of bad behavior, poor management, poor leadership and financial impropriety.

Hennessy has publicly accused prior food bank managers of theft. She also said the food bank executive board has undertaken a deep dive into the organization’s accounting to understand its true financial picture and to ascertain whether or not previous food bank volunteer managers had engaged in criminal financial activity.

John DiMaggio, the board treasurer, clarified in a July 8 email: “In total, what is happening right now is simple in terms of the fiscal irresponsibility of the prior board. The consequences relating to this lack of fiscal control are serious and complex. Our investigation is ongoing due to the complicated and serious nature of what the new executive board is working to understand.”

Meanwhile, ex-volunteers have launched an anti-Hennessy campaign with handwritten cardboard signs, lambasting the director’s leadership. The signs have appeared on telephone polls in the Chimacum-Port Hadlock-Irondale area.

Hennessy said in a prior interview that the signs are upsetting to her and many patrons, but despite the turmoil, area food banks have remained open and have been able to consistently meet the needs of its clients and the community.

DiMaggio agreed.

“We are exceedingly proud of the elevated quality of food and the consistency of service to our small Community,” he said. “The truth about what is actually happening can be seen within our service.”