Andy Czerkas is an Everyday Hero!

Andy Czerkas, an Information Technology instructor at the college, will be honored as an “Everyday Hero” Sunday at the AFT’s national convention for his exceptional commitment to his community.

The awards are presented to members from each of AFT’s five employee constituencies, plus a retiree. Andy was chosen from among five finalists in the higher education division. The award recognizes an individual or group who has had a profound impact on the workplace or has performed extraordinary community service outside of the job.

Andy and his wife, Jenny (an IT graduate of Madison Area Technical College), are co-directors of The River Food Pantry, which they started nine years ago in a warehouse in Madison. Families living in poverty have found a lifeline in the pantry, which provides groceries, hot meals, clothing, household goods and furniture to a rising number of people in need.

Last year, the pantry served 21,000 families, a 65 percent increase from the year before. In the first four months of this year, with the Midwest still reeling from the effects of the Great Recession, demand for aid was up 55 percent at what is now the county’s largest food pantry.

Congratulations Andy!