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The post below written by Executive Director Larry Sly was originally posted in 2015 and is as relevant today as it was then. We are happy to report that three years later we now have over 106,000 volunteer hours donated to us a year. Even with that, many shifts in our Fairfield warehouse go unfilled. With a variety of ways to volunteer, your unique skills can help us fight hunger. If you would like to honor Dr. King’s memory by volunteering, browse the calendar for volunteer opportunities to fit your schedule.  

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When the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was declared I don’t think people realized it would evolve into a day that is focused on volunteer service.  It’s very appropriate the day has become dedicated to community service, as it highlights the role giving back plays as part of American life.  For those of us old enough to remember, when the federal holiday was declared many states and localities did not observe the day.  Recent events demonstrate that the struggles of the civil rights era are still not resolved and when the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was enacted by the federal government, there was resistance to honoring the day.  But as time has passed, the holiday has become more universally observed, and that is because the holiday honors the work Martin Luther King Jr. did to help make a better community.

Today many people celebrate the holiday by participating in a volunteer activity that helps make a stronger community.  Volunteering is an American tradition that goes back generations.  It is a tradition that when people identify a problem they come together to try to help.  Service clubs like Rotary, Kiwanis, Soroptomists or Lions clubs exist so members can act as volunteers to make a stronger community.  Faith communities often have a social mission committee that focuses on the role they should play in dealing with community issues.  Non-profit organizations have a distinct role in our society because we realize there are some things that are done better by organizations that effectively use volunteers in their work.

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano depends on volunteers.  We have more than 88,000 hours of volunteer time given to us each year.  That includes people answering our phones, sorting the food donations we receive and helping with the food distributions we do in the community.  Our Board of Directors are all volunteers, the people who help us prepare thank you letters for donors are volunteers, and the people who help bag produce for distribution are volunteers.  We depend on people being willing to give their time and talent in order to make our work possible.

Like every other non-profit organization in our community, we need your help.  Whether you want to help the Food Bank, a homeless shelter or an education program at your local school, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is an excellent reminder of how much your help is needed.   Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most moving statements ever made about the society we hope we will all see one day.   Everyone should be judged on the content of their character, not the color of their skin or any other factor.  By volunteering and giving back to our society, we help move ourselves closer to that goal.  When we give, we enrich ourselves because we understand the problems others face and what we can do to make a difference.  When we give back, we honor Dr. King’s memory.

Originally posted on the Vacaville Reporter:

“But what can I do?”

When the world’s problems seem to be overwhelming, that’s the first question many of us ask ourselves. The answer is GET INVOLVED. There are countless worthwhile organizations that are looking for people who are willing to help others in need. The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is no exception.

Along with our financial donors, the Food Bank relies heavily on volunteers. In fact, committed people gave over 96,000 hours of their precious time to help ensure hungry people in our community had access to food last year. That’s the equivalent of 46 full-time employees! We would not be able to distribute the more than 20 million pounds of food a year and have 96 cents for every dollar go directly towards food programs if it weren’t for these coveted everyday heroes.

If you haven’t volunteered before and you are wondering what you’ll get out of it, all you need to do is do an Internet search on “benefits of volunteering.” You’ll learn that you’ll actually end up getting more than you give. Improving your mental and physical health, developing new skills, and creating new friendships are just some of the documented perks that come with philanthropic efforts.

Laura, a mother of four, started out as a Food Bank financial donor and then decided to deepen her involvement by coming in to volunteer. When asked why she volunteers, she replied with, “It’s quite simple, everyone needs to eat. I have volunteered at the produce distributions and have seen where my money goes. When you see all those people lined up for fresh fruits and veggies, you can see how many people need help with food.”

Rose initially got involved at the Food Bank by frequently volunteering in the warehouse while she was working full-time in the corporate world of banking. After recently retiring, she started providing much-needed assistance in the office. Rose explained, “I volunteer at the Food Bank because of the high energy and team spirit towards ending hunger, which is important to me. I now have knowledge about the far-reaching impact of the Food Bank; it’s like a big safety net to the community.”

We are thrilled that recently Diablo Magazine recently honored two of our beloved long-term volunteers. Married for 67 years, Fran and Vic, ages 90 and 94 respectively, have been helping out at the Food Bank for 15 years. They are passionate about the Food Bank’s Food for Children program. Fran shared, “We are excited to get up on a Friday morning and drive to Concord to fill boxes for children and see all of our friends. Vic added, “It’s so rewarding to be so involved in something that’s good.”

These volunteers all have something in common. One day they all decided to try something new. They opened themselves to a new experience that would help make our community a better place. We encourage you to do the same.

There are many ways for both adults and children to get involved at the Food Bank. Giving as little as two hours of your time can help change the world.

To learn more, visit www.foodbankccs.org.

Originally posted in the Vacaville Reporter: The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is facing a critical shortage of volunteers at our Fairfield warehouse. Though our Concord warehouse has an abundance of individuals, families and corporate groups willing to donate their time, it’s an ongoing challenge to meet the demands in our warehouse on the other side of the Benicia Bridge. In fact, in the past three months, only 25 percent of the available shifts in Fairfield were filled to capacity.

The need is great because most of our produce preparation occurs in our Fairfield facility. We take pride in that over half of the food we distribute consists of fresh produce. In order to get the fruit and vegetables out to our community members in need (from children to seniors), it needs to be sorted and bagged first.

If you’ve never helped out in our sorting room, you might be wondering what’s involved. It’s quite simple and all shifts only require a two or three hour time commitment. The Food Bank receives produce in vast cardboard bins. Volunteers move the produce from the large bins to smaller, more manageable, containers such as bags and boxes that are light enough to carry. During the process, produce is inspected and any produce that isn’t edible is removed.

Because we have over 90,000 hours of volunteer time gifted to us each year between the two warehouses, we have a computerized volunteer management system. It’s easy to look up available opportunities in Fairfield and register to be a volunteer by going to our website at www.foodbankccs.org/volunteer.

We make it convenient to volunteer by offering day shifts Monday through Saturday and shifts in the early evening on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

If you have children, we encourage you to introduce them to the rewarding experience of helping others. Children as young as 11 years old can volunteer when accompanied by an adult. The Food Bank is conveniently located near the Jelly Belly factory, so you can turn the day into a fun summer excursion.

If you have younger children, we encourage you to sign up for the next Family Food Sort on Saturday, July 16, from 9:00 to 11 a.m. At the monthly Family Food Sort event, the minimum age requirement for volunteering is lowered to 5 years old when accompanied by an adult.

Volunteering is a rewarding experience for people of all ages. We feel better about ourselves and our community when we are giving to something bigger. Encourage your friends and organizations to join you. The relationships we build when we work together with people from service clubs or faith communities makes us all feel part of a significant change.

It would not be possible for the Food Bank to provide food to people in need if we did not have dedicated supporters willing to offer hands-on help. Although sorting produce is definitely our greatest need right now, you can look at our website for other ways that you can assist. We urge you to join us in making our community better by signing up to be a volunteer today.