School groups, retirees, and corporations are among the many food bank volunteers
Feeding America West Michigan relies on an incredible community of volunteers to sort, package, and distribute nutritious food across our service area. Among the hundreds of dedicated volunteers, a small number stand out for their commitment to working at least one weekly shift at our Kentwood warehouse. Their weekly time together has led to friendships and a supportive community.
We recently spent an afternoon with our “Tuesday regulars,” the band of retirees who commit to sorting and packing food every Tuesday. Among them, volunteer Carol recounted volunteering once at our previous location several years ago before she retired.
“It was really eye-opening to me at the time,” she said. “I was amazed at the amount of food that was being handled. I saw what the volunteers were doing, and I started to donate. Then a good friend of mine retired before me. He said, ‘You should really look into Feeding America. I think they have a really great organization and an organized volunteer program.’ Then I retired, and he said, ‘You should come on Tuesday,’ and that’s how I started.”
Volunteer Barb, who has now been with Feeding America West Michigan for five years, donated her time to several organizations and quickly grew fond of working at the food bank.
“The organization is well run,” she said. “The money goes to food and to helping the community. They are, I feel, a solid organization. My husband and I are donors here. They do amazing work.”
Many volunteers said that, in addition to feeling fulfilled by the work, they feel trusted and listened to by the FAWM staff. They feel they can offer their input in processes and know that their thoughts matter.
Tuesday regulars Greg, Bob, Dave, and Tom especially value the mission. They clearly see how their work helps people meet basic needs. Greg has volunteered at agencies to get food directly into neighbors’ hands, and he enjoys the chance to see the beginning of the process at the food bank.
Several volunteers also said they take great satisfaction in reducing food waste.
“I hate to see food go to waste. Without [Feeding America West Michigan], the food would be sent to a landfill. We can help make sure it is used,” said Tom, a volunteer since 2021. His statement was met with resounding agreement from fellow Tuesday regulars.
Corporate groups give back to the community
A large portion of our volunteers also come from organizations that bring in teams to dedicate their time. Many of our corporate volunteers include employees from Amway, Meijer, Fifth Third Bank, Farm Bureau, SpartanNash, Grand River Bank, and more!
During a recent experience, Sean Black of Meijer addressed the importance of volunteering for their employees.
“We are super excited to be here today to pack food and be a part of relieving hunger in our community,” he said. “As a part of Meijer, food relief and us being in the business of food, it’s really important that we continue to find ways to give back to the community. Our partnership with Feeding America brings a huge opportunity for us to bring a fairly large group in to come in quarterly, pack some food, and drive a lot of really fun team engagement while making an impact in the community.”
Our gratitude goes out to all of the volunteers that donate their time to helping feed families across West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. This work wouldn’t be possible without you and we’re delighted to celebrate all of you this National Volunteer Appreciation Week.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, visit https://www.feedwm.org/volunteer/.