Three Defense Contract Management Agency plant clearance officers teamed with a charitable organization Feb. 27 to set the Guinness World Record for “most people making sandwiches simultaneously” — 2,586.
Patricia Jackson, a DCMA PLCO here, first decided to participate in the event, which produced 32,000 sandwiches and 210,000 meals at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. They were distributed to 15 area hunger-related charities.
A strong believer in volunteerism, she hoped to satisfy the Dallas-Metropolitan area’s hunger pains — even if it was just for a day. After recruiting two of her fellow Contracts Directorate PCLOs, Jerry Hawkins and David Wilson, this charitable triple-team fed the hungry in world-record fashion. While they were happy to set the record, their satisfaction mostly stems from the awareness their accomplishment will bring to an important social issue.
Have you ever gone to bed hungry? If so, you are not alone. According to a 2015 U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service report, 14 percent of American households were food insecure in 2014.
“Food-insecure households (those with low and very low food security) had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources,” noted the report.
Wilson said he decided to participate because of his passion for community service and his belief that “a small amount of support can — and will — make a huge difference and impact on humanity. In my opinion, (hunger) is our biggest issue in America and is often overlooked by those who are blessed.”
A deacon at his church, Hawkins is no stranger to charitable acts.
“The most important aspect of this event is that it highlighted and raised awareness of the countless people in the Dallas-Metropolitan area who are hungry and in need of food,” he said.
In addition to their philanthropic reasons, the two men agreed Jackson played a role in their decision to participate. “She inspires others to volunteer not by her words, but by her actions,” said Wilson.
She is a “person of influence who leads by example with an outstanding attitude of, ‘Individuals do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care,’” added Hawkins.
As a member of an 11-child family, Jackson began to care early in life. She said there were times when her family faced food shortages.
“I remember going to the Salvation Army with my mom and receiving a food basket,” she said. “I credit my mother for making me the person I am. She had a giving heart even when we didn’t have much.”
At 9 years old, Jackson promised herself she would give back to others just as others had assisted her family.
“I truly enjoy bringing joy to someone else especially when you meet people and they don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” Jackson said. “To see the gratefulness of just providing them with a sandwich or a pair of shoes, it means so much to them.”
As she grew and her professional opportunities provided financial stability, Jackson increased her volunteer commitments. She now spends 15-20 hours a week volunteering, which is split between numerous area charities.
Twice a month she helps serve lunch and dinner at the Salvation Army. She donates her time to an organization that distributes volunteers to charities short on support. She volunteers with a youth organization that encourages children to realize their potential. She supports veterans’ groups — most recently participating in Wreaths Across America with Hawkins and Wilson. The trio placed wreaths on veterans’ graves at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. She actively supports a charity that provides healthy “to-go” meals for South Dallas homeless. And this is just a sample, as Jackson noted there are “too many charities to list.”
As an advocate for community service, Jackson hopes people will continue to be inspired by her actions and decide to give back. “Look around,” she said. “There are people in need everywhere.”
After years of service, Jackson still awakes each morning hungry to help others.
“I’m thankful for the people I have met volunteering. I’m thankful for my colleagues who have joined with me in my passion for giving,” she said. “I’m thankful for (DCMA) and my job as a plant clearance officer. Without it, I would not have the resources to do what I love.”