06/03/2026
“He Gave My Gift Away”
Dellene Grasmick’s Story
For many years, Dellene Grasmick led the kitchen at the Food and Care Coalition, serving with tireless dedication and deep compassion for every client who walked through our doors.
One of her favorite memories is of a man named Mike, who had been living in his car for four years. Despite his circumstances, he was always cheerful and eager to help others.
One Christmas Eve, Dellene gave Mike a card with movie tickets inside. Overwhelmed, he told her he couldn’t remember the last time someone had given him a gift.
But that evening, Mike returned, apologizing. He had given two of the tickets away. One to a woman who mentioned it was her birthday and no one had acknowledged it. The other to a man waiting for a bus in the cold, with nowhere to stay warm for the hours before his bus would leave.
Dellene reassured him the gift was his to use as he wished. Through tears, she told him he had shown the true spirit of Christmas - selfless, Christlike love. Mike simply replied, “I’ve never had anything to share before.”
Dellene’s legacy of love and compassion lives on in moments like these. We are forever grateful for the impact she made - and continues to make - through those she served.
