After 31 years of service with local nonprofit Kitchen Angels, Executive Director Tony McCarty announced today his planned retirement on the last day of 2024.
“The organization is in a strong and stable position in terms of programs, finances and current direction,” McCarty, 70, told SFR. “I'm older, so I think now is the perfect time. The board is strong and in support of change, so everything seems to be working well.”
Kitchen Angels' mission is simple but important: to provide meals to Santa Fe residents who have difficulty obtaining nutritious meals, are housebound, or suffer from chronic illnesses. The nonprofit was founded in 1992 and initially operated out of Westminster Presbyterian Church with just 30 volunteers and 35 clients. In the first six months, Kitchen Angels reportedly gained 80 clients and served 2,000 meals. By 1996, it had served its 50,000th meal, according to the nonprofit's website. In 2023, the number of meals served reached 2 million. And now, McCarty says, they boast 350 volunteers and serve thousands of meals every month.
McCarty joined the organization as a volunteer when it was founded in 1992 and became executive director in 1993.
“No, I don't,” he said with a laugh when asked if he had any experience in nonprofits. “I had some business experience, but once I started volunteering, it all happened so quickly. For the first seven years after the organization was founded, I was the only paid employee.”
Under McCarty's leadership, salaries were increased. Today, Kitchen Angels has seven full-time and two part-time employees. McCarty has also been instrumental in expanding and growing the organization, playing a key role in the fundraising campaign for the nonprofit's permanent home, the former Col Green Angel Depot, in 2001. At the time, the complex also housed the Food Depot and nonprofit food pantry Feeding Santa Fe, the latter of which unfortunately closed during the pandemic. However, the Food Depot outgrew its old space several years ago and continues to serve meals to Santa Fe residents from its headquarters on Siler Road. Kitchen Angels now occupies the entire space.
McCarty has also helped launch a number of food initiatives in Santa Fe, including the Santa Fe Food Policy Council, which aims to increase food accessibility, and Kitchenality, a kitchen equipment resale store that helps fund Kitchen Angels. But perhaps no program is as popular as the Angels Dine Out event each spring, when dozens of local restaurants donate a portion of their daily sales to Kitchen Angels. The program will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024.
In other words, McCarty will be leaving something pretty big behind when he retires in December. Still, he says he's looking forward to spending time in the garden painting and catching up with friends and family. He also hopes to return to volunteer work in the future — after some time off, of course. He also plans to consult with Kitchen Angels and help recruit their next executive director.
“It's really an honor to be able to prepare Kitchen Angels to serve the needs of Santa Fe. We've set up the organization for success, so we're excited to have new people come in and serve the needs of the community,” McCarty said. “Santa Fe has a booming population of seniors who need food. Not all of them will rely on Kitchen Angels, but some will. There will come a time when the organization will grow exponentially.” [the new executive director] “We will need to think strategically to prepare for an ageing population.”
Dwayne Trujillo, Kitchen Angels' vice president of philanthropy, told SFR that the search for McCarty's replacement will begin with local candidates. If they can't find one, the nonprofit will begin a national search, Trujillo added. But for now, McCarty's departure feels like the end of an era, Trujillo said.
“I've been here for about six years now and he's been a great mentor who's taught me a lot,” Trujillo said. “He's the best boss I've ever had.”
