This week kicks off National Volunteer Week and we couldn’t be more grateful for the individuals who have bravely stepped up this past year to ensure our essential work never stopped.
It has been heartwarming to see volunteers engaging with efforts to feed their neighbors throughout the pandemic this past year. Prior to COVID-19 most all the food packing work done by volunteers in our warehouse was completed by groups; corporate, schools, teams, church, etc. Once the pandemic hit these groups almost completely went away. In their place we began welcoming individuals in smaller groups to be as safe as possible. As many as 12 groups a week worked throughout the weeks to meet the tremendous demand for food.
The New Hope warehouse received a contribution of 8,391 volunteer hours since this past April. That is the equivalent of $228,235 worth of effort. These volunteers packed an astounding 1,842,366 pounds of food! That means over 51,000 local families were provided a three day supply of food.
In addition to the warehouse, volunteers helped at the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market on Sunday mornings throughout the summer months. This weekend market provides an opportunity for volunteers to rescue food grown by local farmers that goes unsold and prevent it from becoming waste.
Our Fare For All volunteers adapted to a new drive-through model of food distribution, aiding shoppers purchasing affordable, healthy foods.
We’re thankful for the many volunteers who are essential for us to meet our mission of fighting hunger and nourishing our community.
If you’d like to make a difference in your community, join us for a volunteer shift! Learn more and sign up here.
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