Clay Rusch first visited the Gleaners’ Shared Harvest pantry as a pre-teen, when his family was facing challenging times and needed a little extra help.
“I remember being embarrassed at the time,” Clay said. “But whoever greeted us picked up on my attitude and still embraced me and my mom. They treated her with dignity and kindness. That really stuck with me.”
Years later, as a single dad of three, Clay found himself back at Shared Harvest Pantry. “I was a union worker back then,” he said. “But everything fell apart. I didn’t qualify for other assistance and needed help. Gleaners never judged me—they just helped.”
Now, two decades later, Clay has a successful business, BTT Painting, and a family eager to give back. This summer, he and his team donated supplies and prepped the Shared Harvest Pantry for a fresh coat of paint. His daughter, who works alongside him, even helped with the project—returning to the same pantry she remembered visiting as a child.
“It’s pretty special,” Clay said. “That’s three generations of my family who’ve been impacted by Gleaners.”
For Clay, choosing to give back to Gleaners was simple. “Some organizations get too big for themselves and lose touch with their original purpose. Gleaners hasn’t. You’re still connected to people’s real needs, and I’m really loyal to that. All three owners of BTT Painting have been helped by Gleaners in some way, so this is personal for us.”
When asked what he’d tell others who are thinking about donating, volunteering, or even asking for help, Clay’s advice was simple: take the first step.
“It’s human nature to feel embarrassed or nervous,” he said. “But once you do, you’ll see people loving on each other like a big family. The first step is the hardest, but after that, it gets a lot easier.”
For Clay, what started as a simple connection with Gleaners staff has grown into a partnership with lasting impact. “We’re more than willing to give back,” he said. “And we’re excited to find more ways to do it in the future.”
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