Dawn Smith (left) has spent decades serving Menifee through activities such as the Menifee Community Cupboard. (Staff photo)
For Dawn Smith, serving as executive director of the Menifee Valley Community Cupboard (MVCC) and Thrift Shop is personal.
Smith’s connection to Menifee goes back to the 1970s, when she moved to the area as a young adult. Having had over 20 addresses as a child, Smith chose to settle down and raise her family in Menifee.
“My family was very mobile, and this was the first time I’d ever gotten to settle down. Now it’s been almost 50 years,” Smith said. “That’s why it’s my hometown, because I don’t have anywhere else I can claim as a hometown.”
Smith started her career in finance as a bank teller and later advanced at multiple financial institutions. She said she enjoyed the customer service aspect of the job and teaching financial literacy. Alongside work, she became involved with the Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Menifee, and the Menifee Interfaith and Community Service Council.
She serves as the foundation chair of the Rotary Club, where she coordinates member donations to help those in need. Smith said the connection motivates her to serve her community.
“It’s a way to be connected to the community,” she said. “Given the fact that I never really had a hometown until I came to Menifee, it helps me stay connected and be a part of the community.”
Former Menifee Mayor Bill Zimmerman said he first met Smith about 15 years ago during a City Council meeting. Smith had introduced a new idea at the time: Arts Council Menifee.
“When I told her I was supportive, she asked if I’d like to help her get started,” Zimmerman said. “It was the beginning of a good friendship and a successful service organization that continues today.”
Zimmerman said Smith’s leadership has been evident across Menifee through her volunteer roles and her professional role directing the MVCC.
Smith’s connection to the Community Cupboard began through a relationship with the organization’s founding president, Eve Hoover. The organization was created to address food insecurities among Menifee residents and students.
Smith later served on the MVCC Board of Directors before stepping into a staff role, overseeing daily operations. That role eventually led to her becoming co-director and then executive director, a position she has officially held since around 2012.
The motivation for her work stems from personal experience.
“Food is the most important thing,” Smith said. “I know what it feels like to come home from school and there’s nothing to eat.”
Under Smith’s leadership, the Community Cupboard has expanded food rescue partnerships with local grocery stores. Smith said the Cupboard receives produce, protein, and dairy from local stores, which has helped it provide 1 million meals to residents.
Zimmerman said Smith’s organizational knowledge has also made her a valuable resource beyond the Cupboard.
“Very few people are as well-versed in organizational management as she is,” he said. “Dawn brings so much wisdom and value, and we’re blessed to have her in Menifee.”
Despite the demands of the job, Smith said the work remains fulfilling. She said she finds purpose in knowing she helps people every day.
“I don’t have a day that I get up and I don’t want to go to work. Even when I’m sick, I’m asking myself, ‘Am I sick enough to stay home or can I go to work?’ That’s a nice problem to have,” Smith said.
Dawn Smith works alongside local volunteers packing food items for those in need. (Staff photo)
Dawn is shown with volunteers Parker Ritchotte (left) and James Kelly. (Staff photo)
Dawn also volunteers at the annual Santa’s Workshop. (Photo by Katja Zimmer)
Community Cupboard volunteers were honored in August for serving 1 million meals.
