Larry Martin reflects on his first days at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, back when the organization was still located in a small building on Fenwick Street in Newark. Recently released after a period of incarceration, he was searching for work. A friend he met while he was in prison recommended the FoodBank.
“I went there the next day, and they hired me immediately as a truck driver,” Larry recalls. It was there that he met Kathleen DiChiara, who he remembers as an incredible woman who he loved deeply and who completely changed his life.
Working closely with Kathleen, Larry admired her dedication. He recalls how she would wear skirts and heels while unloading trucks but switch to sneakers in the warehouse — a testament to her hands-on approach. A self-proclaimed workaholic, Kathleen was constantly engaged, keeping up with newspapers daily and making strategic decisions to propel the FoodBank forward.
One of Larry’s favorite memories from those early days was when he helped the FoodBank find its current home on Evans Terminal in Hillside. “Kathleen asked if I knew of any warehouses for sale,” Larry remembers. He pointed her to a Kraft Foods factory building. It was an ideal space, and a few months later, the FoodBank moved in. “That’s my favorite food bank story,” Larry said.
Larry sees Kathleen as a mother figure and credits her with pushing him to grow, challenging him beyond his initial role as a truck driver. “She made me work hard,” he recalled. Rising quickly, he took on agency monitoring, became the Agency Relations Director, and learned intricate behind-the-scenes operations, including finances, outreach, and board relations. His role required him to educate and guide partner organizations on compliance, a task that proved both challenging and rewarding.
When asked about his favorite memory of Kathleen, Larry recalls a moment that perfectly captures their bond. At a wedding rehearsal for his friend Andre, a picture was taken of “the four core guys.” Kathleen and her husband Tony attended the wedding and danced the night away. Larry also fondly remembers his own wedding, where he took Kathleen by the hand and danced with her. “Everyone’s mouth dropped,” he says with a smile. “But this was my mom. She was incredibly special to me.”
Larry also emphasizes Kathleen’s profound influence — not just on him, but on countless others. She changed his life, stole his heart, and remains an irreplaceable figure in his journey.