As ripples of need surge through Phoenix, Valley food banks like St. Vincent de Paul and Rescue Mission Alliance Valley Food Bank call on the community for reinforcements. St. Vincent de Paul, in a press release obtained by abc15.com, reports a noticeable post-holiday dip in volunteer numbers, critical to their operation where volunteers make up 95% of their workforce. The charity juggles multiple tasks from meal prep for 7,000 daily meals to running thrift shops, depicting a dire need for volunteers especially during early morning, Monday, and Friday shifts in various capacities including the kitchen, dining rooms, Dream Center, urban farms, and thrift stores.
With the drop in volunteers starting in December, St. Mary's Food Bank faces its own challenges, feeding 1,600 families daily, as revealed in an interview conducted by abc15.com. Jerry Brown, a 14-year veteran of the organization, indicates a common seasonal decline, but this year feels the pinch acutely with an uptick in those needing food assistance.
Offering a solution, Rescue Mission Alliance Valley Food Bank opens its arms to volunteers from diverse backgrounds – individuals, couples, church and school groups, and company teams – to keep its program running where up to 75% of the labor is provided by volunteers, as detailed on their website. Interested parties, even those needing to complete community service hours, are encouraged to chip in, where they receive food safety training to inspect, tag, and store donations for later distribution to food pantries, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters.
Furthermore, these pantries like the ones supplied by Rescue Mission Alliance, found at valleyfoodbank.org, ensure the delivery of food baskets and hot meals to vulnerable populations, maintaining strict compliance with food safety standards. All volunteers participating in efforts to discard spoilage and stock suitable items for distribution play a vital role in sustaining the food bank's mission. With opportunities abound and ever-changing, volunteers are sought year-round to fill the persistent gap and to ensure no one in the community goes hungry.
