William Penn Life, 2001 (36. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2001-12-01 / 12. szám
Food Banks Volunteers man the front line in the battle against hunger IT'S HEARTENING TO KNOW that many WPA members and branches are familiar with-and contribute regularly to—their local food bank. Your donations, such as your Holiday Baskets, mean so much to those who receive them. Yet, to win the fight against hunger in your community, your local food bank needs more than donations of non-perishable goods and money. It needs you, your time and your effort. The wonderful volunteers who donate their time and skills each year to assist their local food bank are invaluable to achieving our goal of ending hunger. Your local food bank offers a variety of volunteer opportunities that allow people to help achieve its overall mission. • Food Bank Facilities. You can start at the food bank's collection and distribution center, where a variety of projects are likely to take place. Repackaging bulk food, sorting canned food, labeling, and on occasion painting barrels and stuffing envelopes. Generally, no long-term commitment is required. It's a great idea for bringing branch members together and makes a real difference for the food bank. Individuals and groups are always welcome. • Special Events. Your local food bank conducts a variety of special events each year to raise food and funds. Volunteers help with these events by accepting donations, greeting participants and much more. Special events are almost always short-term activities and don't require a long investment of time. Contact your food bank for a calendar of upcoming events. • Trade Shows. Some larger cities may host food company trade shows. Such events can be a gold mine for food banks, but they need help to make the most of this opportunity. Volunteers may be needed to help pick up food from the various vendors, pack donations in boxes and load them into the food bank trucks. • Planning Committee. And who plans and coordinates the activities and programs of your local food bank? Most likely, it's volunteers. This may require a deeper, more sustained, and more time-consuming commitment. But, such a commitment could be spread amongst members of WPA branches looking for an ongoing charitable project. • Professional Services. Food banks often need volunteers with special skills to help with specific projects. Volunteers with skills in information systems, graphic design, photography, organizing and many other fields are always welcome. • Fire Squad. Occasionally, volunteers for an emergency project with little notice save the day. Being a volunteer of a so-called "fire squad" simply means that you don't mind being asked to help at the last minute. • Disaster Relief Volunteers. Many food banks have special programs which need volunteers who are willing to step in and make a difference during a disaster in their community. Volunteers help unload trucks, repack donations, answer phones, and numerous other activities during this time. ED Charity Links To learn more on what you, your family or your branch can do to help battle hunger in your community, contact your local food bank. If you need help finding a food bank in your community, contact your local United Way agency or volunteer center. You can also learn more about the problem of hunger in America and find information on more than 200 food banks in all 50 states on-line at the website of America’s Second Harvest ac www.secondharvest.org The Impact: According to the "Hunger in America 2001" study conducted by America's Second Harvest, "23.3 million Americans nationwide sought and received emergency hunger relief from our charitable network" in 2001. "This is nearly two million more people than sought similar services in 1997. And this, on the heels of one of the longest periods of economic growth in recent history.... Everyday many hungry Americans make impossible choices between the essentials of living. Our study found that nearly half (45%) have to choose between paying utilities or buying food. More than 35% choose between buying food and paying their rent or mortgage." 6 William Penn Lift, December 2001
