This year we chose to volunteer our time with the San Diego Food Bank (SDFB), an organization that is on a mission to bring hunger relief to our local community. We originally came across the organization through a quick search online for local volunteer programs.
The organization is a member of the Feeding America Network of Food Banks, which is a nationwide effort to alleviate hunger in American communities. Feeding America has served food to almost 50 million people around the nation, with 4 billion meals and 1.25 million pounds of produce provided each year. When you give one dollar to Feeding America, it helps provide at least 10 meals to people in need.
The SDFB is the San Diego chapter of Feeding America, and has worked tirelessly over the span of its existence to alleviate hunger problems in San Diego. On average, the organization serves 28 million pounds of food to 370,000 people each month. Food donors, such as people who put on food drives, farmers, and the USDA, donate their food to the San Diego Food Bank. From there, volunteers package the food up and it gets distributed to the elderly directly through the Food Bank and other non-profit partners. This distribution program is known as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Through the program, these boxes filled with canned food and other goods are delivered to low-income elderly people.
When we got to the warehouse, there was so much activity going on! There were already other people hard at work preparing boxes and filling them with food. Over the span of 3 hours, we helped put together over 1,000 boxes of canned goods. It was hard work but very rewarding! Just knowing that every box we prepared was going to be delivered to an elderly person in need filled our hearts with joy.
It is so important to both of us that our society’s elderly are fed and get to have the Holiday season that they deserve. With our local society facing this huge hunger problem, just having the ability to lend a hand feels like we’re making a big difference. Far too many people are unable to afford healthy meals, which is why we both chose to volunteer at the San Diego Food Bank. It was an amazing experience that we will cherish for a very long time!
Interested in working at ATR International as a Recruiter? Send us your resume today.
Related Articles
VTO Spotlight – Whitney Nusser helps out the North Texas Food Bank
VTO Spotlight – Sara Delaney Spends Time With The Behailu Academy
VTO Spotlight – Fran Garfinkel Volunteers With Women Helping Women