Gleaners

This year I have participated in my school's co-curricular program which means I volunteer a certain number of hours this year and next and will get a "free" month during my last year of school.

I tried out quite a number of activities and have found my favorites that I will probably do a lot more often next year and beyond. One of my favorite places to volunteer is Gleaners. This is a food bank that has locations throughout the  Detroit area. Their main warehouse is in Detroit and this is my favorite place of theirs to volunteer (favorite place so far, I would really like to volunteer at one of their partner soup kitchens sometime soon).

It kind of surprises me that I like working at the warehouse because you don't get to work with people directly and I am usually the type who likes to work one on one with those I am helping. However, I really believe in the good Gleaners is doing and I know that the behind the scenes work is so important to their cause. Also, when you volunteer at Gleaners there is a good chance you will be doing some heavy lifting so it tricks me into exercising, which I need, haha.

The first time I volunteered there I helped put together orders for Gleaners partners (food pantries, schools, etc). This involved loading lots of crates of different food and supplies onto pallets. Yesterday when I volunteered I spent my time bagging apples that would also go to different places to be distributed to those who are in need. In just over two hours 20 volunteers managed to sort through 8,000 pounds of apples! I know that makes a difference in the community.

Gleaners also has a Kids Helping Kids program so you can be sure that if I end up raising my family in this area that my love for the organization will be passed on :)

I know I get more excited on days that I am working in a clinic and will get to be face to face with patients, but I will continue to volunteer at Gleaners because it keeps me humble. We are not supposed to help others to be noticed for it, we are suppose to help because it is the right thing to do. I need to remember this.