Oak Park Resident Honored for Outstanding Volunteer Service with Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry

Exelon Corporation has recognized employee Audrey Todd of Oak Park, Ill., with an achievement award for her volunteer service with Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry. The volunteer recognition is part of the company’s annual Energy for the Community Volunteer Awards and comes with a $10,000 cash grant to the pantry in Todd’s honor. 

Todd, manager of IT training and communications at Exelon, has provided hunger relief assistance with the pantry for three years and usually can be found leading the food distribution shift on Saturday mornings at the organization’s Oak Park facility.

“Audrey is an exemplary volunteer,” said Michele M. Zurakowski, Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry executive director. “Her winning attitude and love of the pantry make her a great spokesperson. She has been instrumental in helping us enact our values of collaboration, fiscal responsibility and focus on dignity and respect. We are fortunate to have her on our team.”

Last year, Todd was asked to help facilitate the Illinois Link Card application process and work with low-income families to increase their awareness of the need to purchase healthy, protein-rich foods. The online application can be overwhelming and cumbersome for many, so Todd used her computer skills to streamline the process for those needing assistance.

Todd also joined the organization’s volunteer education team last year to promote the activities of the food pantry and educate the public on increasing efforts to feed the hungry. She represents the pantry at volunteer fairs, church events, donor outreach and community service events throughout Oak Park and River Forest.

“I enjoy giving back to the community and am proud to be a volunteer with the food pantry because it addresses a basic need for many area families in an efficient and respectful manner,” said Todd. “But, what really makes this volunteer work rewarding is the interaction and the relationship with the clients, staff and fellow volunteers. So often the food pantry clients make the experience rewarding for the volunteers.”

Christopher M. Crane, Exelon president and CEO, presented Todd her award in Chicago on Monday, April 29.

“On behalf of all Exelon employees companywide, I am honored to share in the celebration of Audrey’s accomplishments as one of our volunteer award winners,” Crane said.  “Her dedicated commitment to the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry exemplifies how our employees make meaningful impacts on the communities they serve, not only through their jobs, but also through their volunteer service.”

Exelon introduced the Energy for the Community Volunteer Awards in 2007 to honor employees who demonstrate exceptional commitment to community service and to encourage increased volunteerism. Todd is one of 18 employees to receive volunteer awards and grants to the nonprofit organizations they serve. Exelon donated a total of $140,000 in cash grants to those nonprofits this year.

Exelon’s Energy for the Community Volunteer Awards were open to all eligible employees from the Exelon family of companies who volunteered at least 50 hours of community service in 2012. Last year, more than 3,800 Exelon employee volunteers gave nearly 105,000 hours of their time to community nonprofit organizations. The donated hours are equivalent to 2,625 workweeks or nearly 50 years of full-time service.

The awards highlight Exelon’s Energy for the Community corporate citizenship program, which encourages volunteerism to support environmental stewardship; education, arts and culture; neighborhood enhancement; and diversity in the community.