At the Karsh Center, our volunteers are an essential part of how we serve our community, helping us to provide impactful and compassionate support to those who need it. For Ali and Ryan Gagerman, that commitment is not just about showing up—it’s about leading, innovating, and improving programs for our clients and volunteers.

Ali and Ryan consistently go above and beyond to ensure our programs succeed. During the early stages of the  COVID-19 pandemic, when many of our clients were experiencing intense food insecurity, we learned that another community organization had large amounts of produce available; however, due to our limited staff capacity, we could not pick it up.  Ryan and Ali stepped up to pick up that produce every week, and nearly every week since, they have made it possible for us to provide fresh produce to hundreds of families weekly. When Ryan heard that we were hosting a toy distribution for families during the winter holidays, he reached out to his contacts in the toy distribution business, providing thousands of donated toys for children in our community. In October, when Ali’s real estate firm The Ali Gagerman Group hosts an annual pumpkin patch, Ali makes sure that they order extra and donate any unclaimed pumpkins to the Karsh Center so that our community can celebrate.

The Gagermans have also helped us improve processes for future volunteers. They helped pilot our volunteer management system, providing valuable feedback regarding our volunteer onboarding and engagement system. They also served on our Volunteer Committee, working alongside other community leaders to create a more inclusive and effective volunteer network.

For the Gagermans, volunteering at the Karsh Center has become part of their family culture. Ryan and Ali have found volunteering at the Karsh Center to be a wonderful way to live their value of service and instill that value in their children.  

“Modeling it and being next to your kids, showing them that you prioritize others on a Sunday morning, is a meaningful bonding experience,” Ryan explains.  

Now, with one child soon graduating college and heading to law school and the other about to graduate high school, the Gagermans continue to find meaningful ways to serve and inspire others. Ryan shares, “We love everything that Karsh stands for. We are so blessed to be able to give our time and money. It is something that we talk to our kids about. And that they have both volunteered at Karsh.” 

Ali emphasizes that the Karsh Center isn’t just a food pantry—it’s a multifaceted organization offering a range of services designed to meet diverse community needs. “When someone walks up to that window, they are a client, they are a human.” This humanity-centered approach is at the core of everything we do, ensuring that every individual feels seen, valued, and supported. As Ali points out, “You don’t always get that extra mile in organizations,” but at the Karsh Center, we go above and beyond to support individuals in every aspect of their lives, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive. The Gagermans also go above and beyond for the Karsh Center, generously financially supporting our programming as well as giving their time.

Volunteering at the Karsh Center is not just community service but a collection of individuals who share the same values and consistently show up to put those values into action for our community. It is about “doing our best to provide to them in a really meaningful way,” as Ali expresses. Just take it from them: “If you have that inclination [to volunteer], you should just do it because you also get to meet other like-minded people and that’s really special.” Their passion for uplifting communities and relentless drive to make a difference is a powerful reminder of the transformative impact of volunteerism, inspiring us to be more compassionate, engaged, and determined in our mission to serve.

Today, you can join the Gagermans in making a difference. Visit our website to sign up to become a volunteer or to support our mission by donating. For a tour or more information, contact our Director of Development, Madeleine Dile, at madeleine@karshcenter.org