One Volunteer, Lasting Impact: Veteran Jerry Brown Helps Feed Hundreds at Dorn VA

Brown, a member of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 92 Buffalo, began volunteering with the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) in December after helping unload donations from the charity ride. Seeing the volume of supplies and the ongoing need convinced him to stay.

“I said, ‘These people need help,’ and I stayed,” Brown said.

Since then, Brown has transformed the Angel Food Emergency Pantry, a resource that helps social workers quickly provide emergency food to Veterans facing food insecurity. In 2025 alone, the pantry served 508 Veterans and their families.

CDCE Chief Yolaunda Mincey said Brown’s impact was immediate.

“Jerry has completely reinvented the pantry,” Mincey said. “He removed damaged items, conducted a full inventory, and reorganized everything by food category, making the pantry easier to use for both staff and Veterans.”

Brown approaches the pantry with the same discipline he learned during his service and throughout his civilian career. He enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17 and later spent nearly three decades working for the U.S. Postal Service, including roles as a carrier, mechanic, and body shop technician before retiring in 2011.

Today, he brings that same work ethic to volunteering. Three days a week, Brown checks expiration dates, rotates stock, organizes shelves, and prepares “grab-and-go” food bags designed to provide up to two weeks of meals. He also tracks which foods Veterans select most often and alerts CDCE staff when supplies run low.

“He follows a grocery store–style stocking layout so items are easy to find,” Mincey said. “His system allows social workers to assist Veterans quickly and ensures that no one experiences delays in receiving food.”

Brown begins each volunteer shift the same way: by walking through the pantry to identify immediate needs. He gathers items from the overflow storeroom, stocks shelves, prepares food bags and ensures both spaces remain clean and organized.

“The best part is seeing it stocked and ready to feed Veterans,” Brown said.

His motivation stems from a lifetime of service. After Hurricane Hugo, Brown began volunteering with disaster relief efforts across the country, assisting communities in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and other areas recovering from major storms. Often using his annual leave from the Postal Service, he helped families rebuild homes, clear flood-damaged property and recover treasured belongings lost in disasters.

“That same care is what I give to Veterans,” he said.

Mincey said volunteers like Brown play a critical role in supporting Veterans and strengthening community health.

“Volunteers have a direct impact on the well-being of the Veterans we serve,” she said. “From assisting in clinics to supporting emergency resources like the Angel Food Pantry, their time and dedication help improve quality of life for so many people.”

For Brown, the reward comes from knowing that his efforts help fellow Veterans during difficult times.

“It gives me a sense of accomplishment and makes me feel good to know that I am helping Veterans who need food,” he said.

He also hopes his example encourages others to get involved.

“Show up and go to work,” Brown said. “Don’t talk about it — show up and let’s do it.”

Through organization, consistency, and a commitment to service, Brown demonstrates how one volunteer can make a lasting difference — ensuring that when Veterans need help most, the shelves are stocked and support is ready.

For more information about what’s going on at the Columbia VA medical center, clinic locations, and other services available to Veterans in and around Columbia, visit the website https://www.va.gov/columbia-south-carolina-health-care/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, keyword: VAColumbiaSC.