About John
John Griffin-Atil
Born in Kansas, Reverend John Griffin-Atil is an ordained United Methodist pastor, lay Zen Buddhist, and a long-term AIDS survivor serving in Southern California. John’s “Broadway Sing-along Sundays” revived a West Hollywood congregation, and he currently serves as the Executive Director of the nonprofit Imperial Beach Neighborhood Center, which serves ‘the least of these.’ John was recently nominated as the first openly LGBTQ member of The United Methodist Cal-Pac Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. He lives in Imperial Beach, California, with his husband and teenage son.
AbouT Jose
Jose Griffin-Atil
Jose Griffin-Atil attends to the management of the office with correspondence and finances, answers phone calls and directs individuals to needed resources, receiving donations.
Jose' is the MASS FOOD DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR for the monthly Emergency Food Assistance Program from The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank.
Jose is in charge of the Friends of IBNC Booth at the Suncoast Market Co-op monthly Farmer's Market in Veterans Park, Imperial Beach, CA.
Jose also assists in Grant Writing.
About Debra
Debra Benson
Debra Benson, Coordinator of the Imperial Beach Neighborhood Center Pantry, was
born in Putnam, Connecticut.
In 1965, she fell in love with the Mamas and the Papas' song called "California Dreaming". From that moment, she knew she wanted to live on the west coast. In 1983 she made the move to Imperial Beach and has been here ever since. Debra retired from MTS in 2022 and started working at the Pantry six weeks later.
"I love people and meeting them wherever they are on their path in life. I love the welcoming community we have at IBNC".