Don Jacobson Delivers Bread And So Much More

There isn’t much that Don Jacobson hasn’t done in Renton.

In a city well-known for its committed volunteers, most would find it difficult to identify a volunteer more tireless than Jacobson. At a recent event, a high-level city administrator that declined to be named said, “He is my hero. There hasn’t been one board he hasn’t served on, or one major organization that he hasn’t touched and shaped in some way.”

Jacobson currently serves as a Valley Medical Center commissioner (elected), is on the board of directors, an active member of , and a regular helping hand for many organizations including his church— in the Renton Highlands.

His past accomplishments include serving as a trustee (a position appointed by the Governor for which he was given emeritus status), served for 14 years on the Chairman of the Board of the Renton Chamber of Commerce, the President of Renton Rotary from 1988-89, and was 1993 Renton .

But as public as all of these accomplishments are, much of Jacobson’s work goes unsung, is done behind the scenes, and with relatively little fanfare or thanks.

Consider this case in point—well before Bread last week, Jacobson had quietly arranged with the corporate leaders to begin picking up the leftover bread daily as part Panera’s Day-End-Dough-Nation™  program and to deliver it back into the Renton community.

Danielle Zarrella, in public relations for Panera said the program is a part of Panera’s broader national Operation Dough-Nation® program, which was created in 1992 to formalize Panera’s commitment to community involvement efforts to give back to local non-profits and hunger relief programs. 

“Last year Panera’s 11 bakery-cafe locations joined the community in contributing $93,000 to Food Lifeline, which is enough to provide over 275,000 meals to hungry people," Zarrella said via email.

It’s mind boggling to think that all of those bagels and bear claws, and loaves of whole wheat, white, and raisin bread which would be tossed in the trash  are now being delivered daily to the needy in Renton.

Jacobson worked with a Bellevue location for about two years, but delivered in Renton. Now, he doesn’t have to drive as far and can still distribute locally.

“Seven nights a week, our leftover baked goods go to local charities because we don’t serve anything but fresh baked goods,” said Rob Morrow, general manager of Panera. “We are rooted in taking care of the communities we are in. It is part of our core values," he said in an interview earlier this week.

Just this week Morrow said a group of youngsters approached the store about donating bread so they could make peanut butter-and jelly sandwiches for the homeless. The gift was, of course, granted.

Jacobson picks up the bread four nights a week at 9 p.m., which in and of itself, is herculean in my mind. He estimates that he picks up from $400-$800 worth of bread each evening.

“There are a lot of people that want the bread,” Jacobson said, “but no one else wants to pick it up a nine o’clock at night.” He chuckles and shrugs off his efforts like it is no big deal.

After the evening bread pick-up , it's sorted the next morning between 8 and 9 a.m. by a team of volunteers at St. Matthew's and is bagged into smaller-sized packages.

Jacobson’s work doesn’t stop with the pick-ups, he also delivers the bread.

Recipients of the donations include the , the Renton Senior Activity Center, Griffin Home for youth, and Houser Terrace.

I asked Rev. Kirby Unti, who regularly sees Jacobson in action at St. Matthew’s and in the community to give me a short quote about  Jacobson and  I gave him permission to be funny.

“Don is truly the “bread man” in Renton.  He makes the dough rise in so many places.”  

When I read the quote to Jacobson when it came across my blackberry, he had a hearty chuckle. All that hard work, and a great sense of humor, too.

Thanks, Don, from everyone in the community for your tireless efforts.