85-year-old Army vet continues life of service by feeding San Francisco families
This week's Jefferson Award winner is Army veteran who continues to live a life of service into his 80s, by feeding hundreds of San Francisco families a week.
The operation is like a well-oiled machine. Volunteers divide cases of fresh produce to distribute to 350 families.
Robert Mason supervises the afternoon assembly line. He lives by a simple rule.
"Everybody, if they think about it, they have something to give to others," Mason told CBS News Bay Area.
At age 85, Mason heads up the free grocery giveaway at his church, Temple United Methodist in San Francisco. Partnering with SF Marin Food Bank, he helped start the food pantry more than 20 years ago.
"I grew up in the church. I think it's natural to want to help other people if you can," he said.
Mason served in the Army for 33 years, in countries like Vietnam, the Philippines and Japan. The sergeant-major was like a spy who listened in on the North Koreans' radio communications.
"I ended up being a morse code interceptor," he smiled.
These days, he's intercepting hunger.
Mason volunteers every day, mostly giving away groceries at the food pantry and driving food to the homebound. He's also served with Food Runners at least 10 years.
At the food pantry, he tracks the numbers to make sure everyone gets what they need, no one goes hungry, and nothing gets wasted.
He attributes his meticulous record-keeping and humility to his military training.
"When you get these skills, whatever you're doing, it all comes natural," Mason explained.
Years ago, he got a certificate for distributing a million pounds of free groceries, but after that, he can only guess how much he's given away.
"A gazillion? I don't know," he chuckled.
He does know there are 21 families on the waiting list, and long lines for the weekly pickups.
Crystal is grateful for the fresh food for her family of three.
"Every time we go grocery we pay a lot, so it really helps the family," she told CBS News Bay Area.
To longtime volunteer Ruth Rogers, Mason is a church staple: an all-around volunteer that it can't do without.
"He's one of those people - he knows where to find the furnaces if they don't kick on. He knows where to find the light switches so we can change the timing on the outdoor lighting," she noted.
As Mason serves, he urges others to follow.
"They have to look at what they have versus what other people don't have, and what they could do to help someone else have a better life," he said.
For volunteering to feed his community, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Robert Mason.