Maryellen Crocker
Maryellen Crocker is the co-founder and director of Gracie's Kitchen, a role she has held since its inception in 2010. She is involved in every aspect of running the organization and serving those in need in Nassau County. For more than a decade, Maryellen has worked behind the scenes organizing, planning, procuring supplies, and handling paperwork to successfully manage the non-profit. As the spokesperson for Gracie’s Kitchen, she can be found throughout the community educating people on the needs of the underserved.
In addition to her managerial duties, she can often be found in the kitchen leading and cooking alongside five meal service teams. Through her guidance and passion for helping to feed those facing food insecurity and homelessness in Nassau County, she has forged many friendships among her various volunteer groups and the wider community. When asked why she is so passionate about this work, Maryellen said, "I feel I have a threefold mission as Director of Gracie's Kitchen. That mission is to offer our guests a wholesome meal in a happy environment, to provide our teams with good leadership, and to give those in the community the opportunity to do good."
Eileen Shrubsall
Eileen Shrubsall is a co-coordinator and longtime volunteer at Gracie's Kitchen who volunteers her time and talent to a variety of teams within the organization. One of Eileen’s core responsibilities is to manage donations from the community and local businesses. She also helps cook on five different meal service teams and manages a team of volunteers who package desserts and breads for distribution to the guests. In addition to her cooking contributions, Eileen cares for all the laundry needs at Gracie's Kitchen. Eileen has always had a great respect for Mother Teresa and lives by her quote, "Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."
Sandy Phipps
Sandy Phipps is a co-coordinator who has been volunteering at Gracie's Kitchen for 13 years. She is a vital part of the volunteer staff, managing the weekly shipment of food, picking up food from various locations, and coordinating the deliveries of USDA products. With the help of volunteers from Set Free and Gracie's Kitchen, Sandy also cleans and stocks the kitchen and pantries on a regular basis to keep everything functioning for the service teams. In addition, Sandy is the team lead for the meal service every third Tuesday of the month. She also manages the student servers from the Yulee High School Interact Club and is responsible for the Angel's Unaware Ministry, which collects quality used furniture for families that are starting out or starting over. One of Sandy’s passions is to assist families in transition by finding affordable housing options to help prevent homelessness. Sandy gives selflessly to Gracie’s Kitchen and is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those we serve.
