Having Fun at the Food Pantry
This week, our Spotlight of Gratitude took on a playful twist. Sianna, our food pantry coordinator, took the initiative to interview our pantry volunteers with one simple question in mind: What makes volunteering at the food pantry fun?
If you’re thinking volunteer work can’t be fun, take a look at the picture below, and see if you still feel that way.
As Sianna shared, “Here at the pantry, while our priority is distributing free food, our second is something much more human; we want to create a welcoming experience for both shopping and volunteering. I’d even go so far as to say, we try to make it fun.”
And it shows. While fun may not be the top priority, it’s certainly part of the heart of what happens here. In the stories below, you’ll see that joy reflected in the voices of our volunteers.
George Willant burst out laughing when asked for a quote. Not long after, he was spotted pulling a lighthearted prank on Ed Comeau, their ongoing “feud” over whether the pantry light should be on or off. When Ed turns it off, George turns it back on, and laughter follows every time.
“It’s always fun, always interesting. You never know what’s going to happen. The fun is in the surprise each week.” — Anne Marie Antosiewicz
“I enjoy helping others and coming to see people, making new friends :)” — Cheryl Ryan
“It’s fun seeing the same people every week and hearing how they’re doing. We build inside jokes with the shoppers, little moments we share, like a husband and wife introducing each other by the wrong names, or one shopper who introduces himself as John Lithgow every single week.” — Pam Myers-Morgan
“You meet people each week who may not have much fun at home. If I can do anything, I try to make the pantry a place where people can have a good experience, and share a laugh.” — Anonymous
“I am having fun, why do I have to answer a question?” — Anonymous
“Some weeks we get 20 cases of meat, 10 cases of bananas, and volunteers are moving hundreds of pounds of fruit while the Schanda Park ducks swarm the pantry door… there is always humor to be found in the absurdity!” — Sianna
As you can see, volunteering at NCC is a great experience, and it doesn't stop at the food pantry. We have so many volunteering opportunities, and you get to work alongside wonderful people at each one, whether it be the pantry, the garden, the thrift shop, or somewhere else. We are so blessed to have so many amazing volunteers. If you are now jealous of these volunteers and are looking to volunteer yourself, fill out a volunteer form online, call the church, or email me at office@newmarketchurch.org.
