Bill Packard

Bill Packard and his bride Barbara met at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the late 60’s. They married in 1970. After graduation Bill didn’t last long in the coat and tie job he secured with his newly won degree. They moved back to California’s Central Coast and started their first construction contracting business and a family. When that business failed they decided to restart their life in Flagstaff Arizona. Thanks to hard work and a lot of luck the business grew as well as the family, they decided it was time to start giving back. Starting with the local St. Vincent de Paul they jumped in with both feet and in about a year Barbara was running the Thrift operation as a volunteer manager, and Bill was the Conference President. The Thrift Store’s sales tripled and the conference impact on the community sky rocketed. As Bill was nearing the end of his leadership role at St Vincent and opportunity present itself to help a doctor and his wife start a 100% volunteer and 100% free medical clinic for the uninsured, he could not resist and the results were amazing. When Barbara decided it was time to leave St Vincent an opportunity came up to take over a struggling nonprofit thrift store and run it their way, they jumped at the chance. They committed to give all the proceeds to local nonprofits and over the next four years donated over ¾ of a million dollars to Flagstaff Charities. As they were approaching their 70’s they felt it was time to let a younger group to take over the day to day operation. But just as they were getting ready to take some time off and old friend came to us with another “you can’t say no opportunity”. And before they knew it, Full Circle People Pantry was opened to serve the hungry in their community . What made it special was that it was open when people weren’t working including nights and weekends, let the clients chose the food they actually would use, and allowed folks to shop once a week rather than a monthly food box. For nearly three decades Bill and Barbara side by side making a major difference in Flagstaff AZ as volunteers. As then Mayor Jerry Nabours said, “The Packards were known to have the Midas touch when It came to charitable operations.”