That’s a wrap! We are so thankful to everyone who spent time with us repacking food during Volunteer Appreciation Week. Our dedicated volunteers helped the Philabundance team sort and box more than 22,000 pounds of nutritious food.
We owe so much of our success to everyone helping us carry out our mission of feeding our neighbors in need. During national volunteer month, volunteers showed up each week with a smile and a willingness to work hard each day. We were especially excited for the opportunity to express our gratitude with food trucks, sweets, and swag throughout Volunteer Appreciation Week.
Some of the groups we welcomed were Blackstone, Crossroads Presbyterian Church, Freedom Mortgage, and Sands Investment Group, as well as a mix of regular and new volunteers.
Former football coach and longtime Philabundance volunteer Tim Reilly offered heartfelt sentiments: “I live in Philadelphia, and I’m very cognizant of the fact that we’re one of the poorest cities in the country. 23% of our citizens are in poverty. With poverty comes food depravation. The problem’s been identified. I wanted to be a small part of
the solution. It’s a very fulfilling feeling. I have to say, it’s mutually beneficial. Because working with the people here, the staff the people who volunteer, I get as much out of that as I do giving back.”
He added, “I coached football for 39 years. I see our community as a team. The team’s in distress. You want to be a good teammate, come out and help. Actions speak louder than words. Words are important, but giving your time is what’s most important.”
Another longtime Philabundance volunteer Joe Fescenmeyer said:
“My wife and I really enjoyed the fact that you guys are so well organized that in a few minutes, you could take a group of 30 people, people who don’t know each other at all, and get them working on that line as if they’ve been working together for years. And when I volunteer, I don’t want to sit around waiting to get started. I want to actually do stuff, have an impact.
We thank all of our volunteers year-round for stepping up for our neighbors facing food insecurity. We couldn’t do what we do without our team of volunteers.