Volunteering at a Food Bank to Get Closer to the Person I Want to Be
I began my volunteer work with the food pantry to give back to the community that raised me, as well as to get closer to the kind of person I want to be remembered as.
I grew up in a suburb that, from the outside, seemed comfortable and well-off. Even today, it’s one of the wealthiest areas in the country, with a median household income of around $150k. The community-shared environments like trails, parks, and schools were very well-maintained and high quality. It was “the place” to raise kids.
But now that I’ve returned as an adult after years living in NYC, I’m seeing things with different eyes.
Yes, the area is still beautiful. But look a little closer, and you’ll find a quieter kind of poverty. One that doesn’t show up on sidewalks or street corners. One that’s carefully hidden behind doors and systems that keep it invisible to most of us.
Childish naiiveness is believing poverty is “somewhere else”
As a kid growing up in a sheltered suburban bubble, I thought homelessness and hunger were issues that belonged to “other places.” Like the cities of New York City I walked through daily on my commute.
But now, raising two children in the same community I grew up in, I see that wasn’t true. Just because we don’t readily see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
Some children in my area don’t have enough to eat. Some families are living out of cars or fleeing unsafe homes.
Donating money is the easy part. I’m starting to believe that with donating money comes responsibilities to at least make an effort to know where that money goes, and how it impacts the world.
Where does my donation go? Is it making a difference? Could it be contributing to causing harm somewhere?
So I signed up to volunteer at the food bank
I’d been thinking about volunteering at the local food bank for years, but life kept getting in the way; COVID, pregnancy, newborns. Now that my youngest turned one, I finally felt ready to take action.
Our local food bank serves over 3,000 clients a day, four days a week. That number shocked me, given our community’s supposed demographic by median income.
So I signed up to volunteer. I wanted to see it for myself. I wanted to understand the work these organizations do, and the impact it has in our county. I wanted to give with responsibility, and also sweat equity.
My first shift stocking shelves at the food bank
My first day was two hours of shelf-stocking. It was heavy labor, lacking in ventilation. Lots of lifting, sorting, organizing. But there was something meditative about it.
For once, I wasn’t multitasking or checking notifications. My phone was locked up. No headphones. Just me, my thoughts, and the quiet rhythm of work.
As I lined up canned goods and pantry staples, I found myself thinking:
How can I organize this better?
What would make it easier for someone to find what they need?
Maybe if I keep coming back and learning the different jobs, I might actually be able to get a job in a grocery store?
It felt good to spend time accomplishing a task in a physical way (maybe I kind of sort of understand people who love gardening now?). The first day is always the least productive day, so by continuing to go back, I hope to become more and more efficient with my labor.
It's for others; but It’s also for me
Volunteering is something we do for others, but to be honest, I think it’s a lot of it is for ourselves. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
I once read that people feel most fulfilled when they take actions that align with their ideal self. For me, that ideal is someone who gives back to her community. Someone who shows up.
So I volunteer because I want to help, but also because I want to be the kind of person who contributes to her community. That’s how I want to be remembered as when I’m 75 years old.
Going back
I hope to keep volunteering weekly and write about what I observe and learn, both from the work and from within myself. My hope is to grow as a person through giving back to the community that raised me, and will raise my children.
If you’ve ever considered volunteering in your area, maybe this week’s the week to finally do that Google search!
It’s hard to be a world-influencer, but I believe anyone can make a real difference in the little world around ourselves, whether it be within our family or the communities around us. That’s what I’m trying for, for anyways.
One shelf, one box, one shift at a time.
this is great!! I did one session at a food bank near me after starting self-employment but I didn't properly commit to making it part of my weekly schedule. I hope this one sticks for you!