Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Photo Credit: Nadiah Mohammed
Volunteer Appreciation Month: Celebrating Our Fantastic Volunteers
We love to see people in our community volunteer with us and we have many corporate groups that send workers to help at our warehouse and our Volunteer Leads who continually show up for our food bank and help us lead others in the volunteer tasks. No matter what group you are in, we wanted to show appreciation for all our volunteers do for FARSB!
Every April, during Volunteer Appreciation Month, we like to celebrate those who have helped us all year and show our appreciation.
Here are some of the highlights from this year's celebration:
Honoring Volunteer Leads
Our Volunteer Leads continuously show us how much they love being a part of the FARSB family. They consistently show up for volunteer shifts, help newcomers learn the ropes of the warehouse and how to sort the products, plus do some of the heavy lifting with our pallet jacks. Their time and effort did not go unnoticed, so we wanted to show them our appreciation and let the community see their hard work and dedication to alleviating hunger across their counties. You might be able to spot a Volunteer Lead by the hat below.
Games and Special Activities
During their breaks, our volunteers played games and special activities throughout Volunteer Appreciation Week April 15-19, to further engage with each other and our team.
From the quick-draw game of Artsy-Fartsy to a Piñata Scavenger Hunt or Musical Chairs, volunteers were given the chance to get to know each other and have some fun!
There was also a FARSB Trivia Game, so volunteers could get to know more about us, what we do as a food bank, and how we serve our community.
Voice of the Volunteers
FARSB gets excited to hear from the folks who volunteer with us! however you were introduced to our food bank, every volunteer has the same goal of helping our community!
Let's hear from some of our volunteers:
“I lost my job due to COVID, and so I was not working and decided to volunteer for FARSB so that I not only have something to do but have something meaningful to do to help people and make a difference in my community here in the IE," said Lily Zepeda.
Irene Buckle, a dedicated Volunteer Lead said, "I did not know volunteering here would be this much fun!" She exclaims, "I knew there would be people like me here, but it is wonderful to be around people here for the same reason. It’s really a rewarding, rich feeling."
Wensley Co, mother of three boys, said, "For my boys, it’s an eye-opening experience. I remember my boys saying, 'Mom look at all this food!' They know that this food goes to people [who] do not have the means to afford three meals a day. They know there are a lot of hungry families in our community, and they want to make a difference. It shows my boys what it means to work hard, what it means to serve, and what it means to what it takes to fulfill community service."
Wrap-Up
We’d like to offer one last note for those who choose to be a part of our mission: We appreciate all that you do, and with your help, FARSB can feed over 100,000 households each month! We wouldn't be able to do what we do for our community without our Community Partners and Volunteers who assist our operations. So, thank you all!
For more information about volunteer opportunities at FARSB please visit our Give Time page on the website.