Community Food Pantry Staff

MONICA WILSON, DIRECTOR

Monica began serving in the food pantry in late 2009. She was inspired to volunteer by one of her children, after he witnessed a family he knew in need at Village Presbyterian Church. He was battling cancer at the time and was astonished that families were in need of food in his neighborhood. Monica served as a lead volunteer of the Community Food Pantry until 2015 when she became the Director, and is humbled how it continues to serve the needs of those underserved in our community.   This is truly a passion for helping those in need beyond food insecurity for Monica, but for helping the whole person.

A native of Virginia via Europe, Monica has lived in Tampa most of her life, attending Hillsborough County Public Schools and the University of South Florida. Monica is married to a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, who now works for the Florida Department of Veteran Affairs as his second career. He is a regular volunteer of the Community Food Pantry. They they have four amazing children who keep them busy even as adults!

Monica loves the beach, family time, reading, and attending sporting events for and with her children. She and her family are big Tampa Bay Lightning, Rays, Buccaneer and Bulls fans and love living in beautiful Tampa near the water. Her oldest son and daughter are both graduates of The University of Florida (Go Gators) and her daughter is off to Northwestern Medill School of Journalism and Monica is excited to visit the Windy City over the next year! She hopes to get back to scrapbooking lots of memories now that her youngest has started high school.

Monica is a board member for Feeding Tampa Bay since 2018, was awarded the Community Hero Award in 2018, is on the board for the Carrollwood Kiwanis Club and is an active member of the Carrollwood Area Business Association (CABA) where the Community Food Pantry was the non-profit member of the year in 2021 notably for the work done for the community during the pandemic. She remains an active parent for her sons school and loves helping others at her core.

BETH DHONDT, GRANT AND DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Beth is a semi-native Floridian, after having moved here from the arctic tundra of Pennsylvania. She is a Penn State alum with a BA in English (hence the grant writing!) but has spent most of her career life in some sort of financial management, from internal audit to operations to compliance. Go figure? She has two adult daughters who live in Boston, one a UF grad and the other a FSU grad - house divided. She has a husband of over 30 years, and they are now empty-nesters. Mike too is a regular volunteer of the Community Food Pantry.

Beth enjoys golf and discovering new local craft beer as well as out-of-the-way eating establishments with her family and friends. Contributing to the CFP keeps her skills sharp, her heart full and her head grounded.

Beth's passion to help others and assuring the CFP runs efficiently and in compliance in all areas makes the CFP one of the best in Tampa. We are blessed she is on our team!