I volunteered with Gleaners Food Bank during the final semester of my undergraduate education. Throughout my time in college, I have volunteered within the community in a variety of ways with different organizations. It was extremely important to me to continue this practice in my last semester. I had never volunteered with Gleaners before this experience, but I had heard good things in the past from many of my friends and peers who had partnered with them in a volunteer capacity. I was further motivated to volunteer at this organization due to the government shutdown occurring at this time and the imminent pause in SNAP benefits facing many community members. Knowing this was a prominent issue, I felt it was important to aid in the mission of this organization and help community members obtain food options during this difficult time.

 

Volunteering at Gleaners Food Bank included:

• Meeting with community members to check them in.

• Helping community member place orders for food items on an iPad.

• Directing the flow of traffic into the facility.

• Putting grocery items into the cars of community members.

• Organizing goods and breaking down boxes and waste.

• Answering questions community members had regarding the organization and placing orders in the future.

• Working as a team with fellow volunteers to ensure the needs of all community members are met. ​