By Oronde Tennant
May 5, 2014 – With busy lives, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. But it’s definitely worth the effort. The benefits of volunteering with Food Bank For New York City have been enormous–not just for me but for my entire Green City Force team. We’ve had the opportunity to connect with our community and make it a better place, and also strengthen our ties to those we serve. But don’t just take it from me. Here’s what my team had to say about our time volunteering with Food Bank.
- Amani Coleman: “My experience at Food Bank has been great. The fact that my team and I were able to help families who are hungry is a blessing. I know the hardships that come with not having enough food to eat.”
- Decatur Goodden: “Volunteering with Food Bank gave me the opportunity to give back to people in need by packing thousands of pounds of food. It also allowed me to network with various volunteer organizations.”
- John Vicent and Irving Wright: “Repacking food might seem like a tedious task, but it is a very important job that leads to positive results. We had the pleasure of working with other volunteers from other organizations in the area. The highlight of our service was learning the metrics (how much food we repacked). Knowing that we repacked large amounts of food that will go to families in need is a rewarding feeling.”
- Hector Ventura: “The team and I volunteered for several months and now we are pros at repacking meals for the needy. The whole experience has been superb.”
- Flormaria Delarosa: “I know that everything we did at Food Bank has really impacted people who have very little. That makes volunteering all the more important.”
- Daniel Egipciago: “Helping those in need has changed my outlook on the world and I want to continue offering my services to this important effort.”
- Robert Malcolm: “I love Food Bank! It was a great and uplifting experience. I’m proud to have made such a difference in the lives of New York City residents in need.”
Oronde Tennant is a Team Leader for Green City Force. He and his team of AmeriCorps members volunteered at Food Bank For New York City this year from February through April.