David Torrey | The Torrey Family Fund
David (Dave)Torrey has been helping others throughout the country for many years. Through his work with natural disaster rebuild teams and as a retired volunteer firefighter, Dave feels an especially strong sense of satisfaction seeing those he is helping through his donor-advised fund at Lehigh Valley Community Foundation.
Dave grew up in Western Massachusetts and graduated from Dickinson College. He served for two years in active duty as an Army transportation officer and then accepted a job in Philadelphia in the transportation department of Rohm and Haas Chemicals. Dave continued working in the transportation industry for 42 years in areas like project transportation management, government relations, and international hazardous materials regulations standardization. In 1970, he accepted a job in the transportation department at Air Products and moved to the Lehigh Valley.
Throughout his time in the Lehigh Valley, Dave has served on multiple boards and committees. These include the Transportation Committee of the Allentown Chamber and the State Chamber as well as national transportation organizations, all of which he was a chair member of. He has also served on South Whitehall Township boards and is currently a member of the Freight Movement Task Force of the LVPC. He enjoys getting to know other volunteers through these organizations and the satisfaction gained as a member of a team.
Dave also appreciates learning about the people he is helping personally, and then understanding the impact that will be made. In his free time, He enjoys reading, traveling, and gardening, and he has interests in history, antique vehicles, and railroads.
Dave first became philanthropically minded through his work on natural disaster rebuild teams. He worked with Asbury Church Mission Teams on national and regional projects in Alabama, Indiana, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. He also contributes through LVCF to the United Methodist Church Committee on Relief (UMCOR) for domestic and international relief efforts.
He has also been philanthropically inspired to help others through his 30 years of service as a volunteer firefighter, during which he witnessed the effects of fires and accidents firsthand.
Dave first learned about LVCF through a financial advisor. He says, “I prefer dealing with a local foundation where I can learn about local needs, can deal personally with the staff, but also still be able to donate to local and national charities.” The Torrey Family Fund is a donor-advised fund established in 2016.
Dave enjoys giving because of the satisfaction he receives from making a difference, especially in the areas of homelessness, veterans’ needs, food insecurity, and youth well-being. He has been particularly supportive of the Salvation Army, Allentown Rescue Mission, 6th Street Shelter.
Supporting the Causes He Care About Most
In addition to the many local nonprofits Dave supports, he is proud of his involvement with Asbury Church Mission Teams. Locally they support a wide variety of social services.
• Allentown Rescue Mission: Working to end homelessness.
• Asbury|Ramos Initiative: Partnering with this city school to provide supplies for students and teachers as well as volunteer in classrooms.
• Casa del Rey UMC: La Trinidad UMC & Familia Dei Ministry joined together to reach the Latino community of Allentown
• Community Bike Works: Providing at-risk youth with meaningful work-ethic alternatives to drugs, crime and the street.
• Daybreak: Serving three balanced meals each workday and teaching life skills to people living with mental illness, physical disabilities, addictions, HIV/AIDS and to the elderly.
• Kingdom Life Family Center Food Bank: Providing food for those in need in the Parkland School District area.
•Laundry on Linden: Providing free laundry services and healthcare to those in need in Allentown center city.
• Lehigh Conference of Churches: Making Christian unity visible in the community through a number of agencies.
• Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County: Providing meal services to people in need.
• Salem Food Pantry: An Allentown food ministry providing fresh locally grown foods for people in need.
• Sixth Street Shelter: Providing opportunity and direction for people to become self-sufficient, productive members of the community.
• Turning Point: Providing shelter and support for victims of domestic violence.