Backpack Program volunteers attend dedication to honor Jocelyn Hartford, who passed away unexpectedly in February. Photo: Sam Bonsey
By Sam Bonsey, Sanford School Department Communications Coordinator
For years, Jocelyn Hartford fed people, not just with food, but with warmth, humor, and an open heart. On Tuesday May 26, the Sanford Schools Legacy Foundation made that legacy official, dedicating the high school’s food storage area as The Jocelyn B. Hartford Sanford School Backpack Program Food Cupboard.
Jocelyn began volunteering with the Sanford Backpack Program in the summer of 2021. She became a core member of the weekly crew, working alongside fellow volunteers in the heat, the rain, and the snow.
At weekly distributions, she was known for sharing recipes, talking with children about the benefits of herbs and fresh produce, and often bringing homemade baked treats or home-grown dried herbs for those lucky enough to call her a friend.
“Her zest for life, amazing humor, and gigantic heart became the best part of our days together,” said Lori Williams of the Sanford Backpack Program. “Her energy was matched only by her care and concern for those in need.”
Her love of feeding people ran deep. She donated annually to soup kitchens, cherished her time with the Backpack Program, and grew her own herbs at home. For Jocelyn, food was never just food. It was care, connection, and community.
She was also a passionate fundraiser and a dedicated advocate for the program’s mission of fighting youth hunger. To the families she served each week, she was a friendly face and a listening ear.
Her final day was spent doing exactly what she loved. The Sanford Backpack Program had organized extra bags of pantry staples and fresh produce to deliver to local families affected by an uptick in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. Jocelyn spent that afternoon helping pack and deliver those bags, present, as always, for the community she cherished.
Jocelyn loved deeply and would do anything to protect the people she cared about. She loved nature, being outside, and gardening. She loved to cook, bake, and grow her own herbs. She loved laughing, making memories, and spending time with family.
In dedicating the food cupboard in her honor, the Sanford Schools Legacy Foundation ensures that Jocelyn’s legacy will continue to greet every family who walks through those doors. Her name will now live in the place she gave so much of herself, a fitting tribute to a woman who was, in the words of those who knew her best, “a magical friend.”
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