Shirl Gordon Remembered for Her Dedication to Feeding and Sheltering Individuals in Need
Shirl Gordon was a fierce advocate for the hungry and homeless in Milwaukee, dedicating her life to feeding and sheltering those in need. As a Site Developer at Hunger Task Force, Shirl was instrumental in building and supporting our network of food pantries, meal sites and shelters. Her leadership and compassion helped shape the organization’s approach to hunger relief, making her a beloved figure among colleagues and our community partners directly serving kids, families and seniors across Milwaukee County.
“She was an incredibly lovely woman, and she was quite a force in the network,” said Michael Jonas, Food Bank Director at Hunger Task Force. “She worked really hard and is dearly missed.”
Shirl’s passion for helping others began as a teenager. She was inspired by her mother’s work at Hope House, a homeless shelter, rapid re-housing facility, permanent supportive housing provider and member of the Hunger Task Force network in the Walker’s Point neighborhood. Her early volunteer experiences at the shelter laid the foundation for a lifelong career centered on compassion and service.
Shirl also later worked at Hope House, where she served as an Executive Assistant. It was during this time that Shirl connected with Sherrie Tussler, who would later become and retire as the CEO of Hunger Task Force. Their shared passion for community development and social justice led to their reunion in 2016 when Shirl joined the Hunger Task Force team as a Site Developer.
In her role at Hunger Task Force, Shirl worked on the implementation of the MyPlate model, which revolutionized food donations and distribution by emphasizing the five food groups and the importance of balanced nutrition. Shirl’s dedication to the success of the MyPlate initiative included hands-on training for pantry staff to educate clients about healthy eating. Hunger Task Force remains the only food bank nationwide to adopt the MyPlate model at such a large scale.
During the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shirl played a key role in administering capacity-building grants that helped partner organizations expand their infrastructure and better serve the community. From funding industrial freezers to securing new trucks and forklifts for local pantries, Shirl’s efforts ensured that the emergency food network was able to respond to the growing demand for food during a time of unprecedented need.
“Her experience at Hope House gave her unique but helpful insight into the impact Hunger Task Force has on the success of pantries and meal programs across Milwaukee,” said Imelda Roman, a Site Developer at Hunger Task Force who worked closely with Shirl.
Shirl’s dedication to her work was matched only by her selflessness. She fought cancer with the same tenacity and determination that she applied to her work to end hunger and homelessness.
In May 2022, Hunger Task Force planted a tree at our West Milwaukee headquarters in memory of Shirl. The tree symbolizes the enduring impact of her work and her legacy in the fight against hunger. Her memory lives on in the programs she helped build, the lives she touched and the people she fed.
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