Founder and Board Members

Rita’s favorite things in life are God, Health, Family and Friends – in that order.

Her childhood was fraught with struggles and sadness that no child should ever have to endure. Instead of allowing those struggles to hold her back, she found joy and purpose in taking care of others, including her parents, siblings, friends and even her beloved best friend and companion, Sallie, the sweetest, most loving dog in the world.

Rita has spent her adult life giving back to others, and she is passionate about serving people. She has been involved in serving the marginalized and those in need throughout central Maryland for more than 15 years. Rita freely acknowledges that many, many good people have encouraged and assisted her along her journey: connections established as the result of twenty-nine years in the grocery-store industry, friends and colleagues from Blind Industries and services of Maryland, where she has served as Payroll Manager since 2013, and the increasing number of fine souls whose dedication has helped her to grow her dream into a reality. Whether she’s enrolling individuals to support her efforts, coordinating donated items, uniting volunteers to serve, or even encouraging businesses to donate, Rita’s strong leadership, relationship building, and dedication to serve is changing lives. She is a true servant leader in every sense of the word.

Rita combined her caring nature to help others with her passion for gardening – especially sunflowers – and together, it formed the inspiration behind “Sunflowers For Sallie.” When you combine seeds of Hope with a little TLC and a desire to stand tall and proud, it all adds up to bright smiles and new hope. Together with her husband, Bob and an ever-growing core of volunteers and donors, Rita is making a big difference for hungry Marylanders one meal at a time.

Beth’s connection to the Sunflowers For Sallie mission started back in 2017 when she watched her colleague, Rita, as she was leading a holiday food drive for what was then The Baltimore Washington Power Team. In no time, Beth, her husband and 2 daughters found themselves volunteering for the group by donating supplies, staging the work area, making bows to tie off the baskets, and delivering the baskets of food. That experience changed everything and helped Beth discover her passion to serve.

By the time Rita began creating the brand-new Sunflowers for Sallie group, Beth did not hesitate to accept an opportunity to serve on the board for this volunteer-based community service program. For Beth, it is both an honor and privilege to serve on the Board and give back to her community by feeding her neighbors in need.

Dave Elliott is an internationally-known Relationship Coach and the founder of The Baltimore Washington PowerTeam. The annual Basket Brigade campaign this group held served as the inspiration behind Sunflowers For Sallie. He ran that group and its annual food drive to feed their neighbors in need for 14 years before it was disbanded in 2019. In 2011, Dave needed help to deliver some baskets to the families who had just been displaced due to a catastrophic fire in a local condominium community. That’s when Rita Williams-Ellingwood, a dear friend he knew from high school, became involved and caught the vision behind the annual food drive. She not only helped him create some last-minute magic for those condo residents who tragically lost everything just before Thanksgiving, she also became an invaluable member of the volunteer community, and eventually, the Event Coordinator who made it all possible every year. When the original coordinator, Martha Hopkins, was unable to continue due to some serious health concerns, Rita stepped in, and her drive, commitment and contacts in the grocery industry took the Basket Brigade to a whole new level.

Dave is honored to serve as a Sunflowers For Sallie Board Member and is beyond delighted to see his original vision for community service carried on in such a magical way with all new leadership.