Feeding the Future
An interview with Sheila Dion '93, founder of Erin's Angels
In 2009, Sheila (Long) Dion ’93 began working as a “lunch lady” at her children’s school 20 miles north of Syracuse. Six years later, she returned to her career in sales and marketing, but the passion she developed for providing food to children never waned.
In 2017, the civic-minded mother of three embarked on a mission to feed students in need when school was not in session. What began as a modest initiative to help a dozen or two kids in one district grew into Erin’s Angels – a full-fledged nonprofit organization assisting people throughout central New York. Every Friday during the school year, the Springfield, Mass., native and her fellow volunteers send hundreds of children home with meals to eat that weekend.
In the summer, Erin’s Angels collaborates with DoorDash to deliver food to kids and their families. In total, Erin’s Angels provides more than 40,000 meals per year. (Dion named the organization after a young child in her community who suffered a tragic death.)
As a testament to that commitment, she serves as the executive director on a pro bono basis – waiving her salary and volunteering 40 hours a week to carry out her responsibilities. In addition to lending her talents to Erin’s Angels, Dion helps other nonprofits as well as small businesses increase their visibility and expand their fundraising efforts through her for-profit company, Small Town Girl Marketing.
Dion, who now lives near Syracuse in Baldwinsville, N.Y., recently talked to HCC about Erin’s Angels and her experiences as a student.
The tagline for Erin’s Angels is “Feeding the Future of CNY” (Central New York). Why is that so important to you?
Food is essential to growth, learning, and a bright future. It is more than sustenance. It is the foundation of health, happiness, and dreams. But, for too many kids, it is a daily struggle. I believe that every child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive without the burden of hunger.
Erin’s Angels provides more than 40,000 meals per year. Where do you get all that food?
A lot of it comes from Food Bank of Central New York. We are one of their partner agencies. We also have partnerships with local businesses that do food drives for us. All the food we provide is shelf stable.
In your experience, what ingredients go into the recipe for the ideal volunteer?
The ability to collaborate and contribute positively to a group effort is crucial. Most importantly, they have a positive attitude, are dedicated to our mission of eliminating childhood hunger, and have a genuine passion for it. The best volunteers take that to the next level and motivate others to join the cause as well.
What has been the biggest challenge of launching and leading a nonprofit organization?
I would say time management and organization are my biggest challenges. Juggling numerous responsibilities from strategic planning to fundraising, program management, stakeholder relations, and the list goes on. It is especially challenging for me because, in addition to Erin’s Angels, which I do full time as a volunteer, I also have to tend to my for-profit business, Small Town Girl Marketing.
While providing tens of thousands of meals to children and their families, Erin’s Angels launched an initiative to teach children about philanthropy. Why was that so important to you?
When my three children were growing up, I did my best to explain to them that there are many people in the world facing challenges and hardships that they did not face. It was very important to me to teach my children to be understanding, be empathetic, and feel compassion. But looking back, I wished I taught them more about community service. Because of that, I decided to start the “Little Givers Club,” so other kids could learn those valuable lessons.
Erin's Angels now funds some college scholarships each year as well. Given all the ways in which the organization has grown in such a relatively short period of time, look a decade into the future and describe what you picture for Erin's Angels?
I envision Erin's Angels having paid staff members to advance our mission. The goal is to position us for growth and scalability. Ideally, I would like to expand the scholarship program to help students overcome the barriers to higher education. The program would take students on tours of colleges and help them with the application process, empowering them to fulfill their dreams, and achieve their full potential.
Why did you choose to go to Holyoke Community College?
Growing up in a family where higher education was uncharted territory, I found myself navigating a unique path as the first child to pursue a college education. While my parents were incredibly supportive of my aspirations, the intricacies of college applications, financial aid, and academic planning were unfamiliar territories for them. Community college emerged as the ideal choice for me.
How did your time in school as a student at Holyoke Community College impact your efforts to make a difference?
The classes I took at HCC equipped me with the skills necessary to succeed at fundraising and have significantly benefited my career as a nonprofit professional. In particular, a public speaking class turned out to be invaluable for my efforts to raise awareness about food insecurity and raise funds for Erin's Angels. When I speak at companies, events and organizations, I need to engage and connect with donors. Being an effective storyteller engages donors emotionally, conveys our mission to not let hunger get in the way of a child's education, and builds trust and credibility.
What advice you would give current HCC students who are interested in following in your footsteps and starting a nonprofit organization some day?
Once you start your organization, implement a donor management system as soon as possible. It improves donor interactions, streamlines operations and drives growth.
To learn more about Erin’s Angels, please visit: ErinsAngels.com
PHOTOS by Amy Davis: (Thumbnail) Sheila Dion '93, at her desk in the Erin's Angel's food pantry. (Above) Dion consults with an Erin's Angels volunteer on packing day.
