The Importance of Volunteerism

The Retired Educators volunteer group packing NAPS boxes

I have been working as the Repack Coordinator for a little over 2 years now and have seen firsthand how important volunteers are to our success at the Second Harvest North Central Food Bank from a Logistical standpoint.

Each month we produce approximately 2,200 pre packed boxes of food for the Nutritional Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS) and Mothers and Children (MAC).  This amounts to 63,600 pounds of food needs to be packed every month for just these two programs. 

 Our volunteers come on a scheduled basis four times during the month in groups of 15-20 per session and work for 2-3 hours repacking approximately 13-16 pallets (18,000 – 22,000 pounds) during their shift. 

Not only are they providing a valuable service to our organization, they are visiting with each other, re-connecting with old friends, sharing stories and having a good time while giving back to the community. The majority of our volunteers have retired from their chosen profession(s) and still live in the surrounding area.

We also welcome groups from local businesses, schools, churches, and other organizations as well as families and individuals who donate their time helping us provide food to those in need.  We ask you to encourage others to join the approximately 500 individuals who donate their time and energy each month. 

 With many other repacking projects every month, each requiring numerous hours of labor to complete, this simply could not be accomplished without your help. 

THANK YOU!

Mark Lantinen, Repack/Volunteer Coordinator