It also made me realize how relatively easy I have it in this world when there are so many hungry people and children. I saw mothers with babies coming in by the dozens to shop at the food bank store, and owners of small food pantries picking up their daily and weekly supplies, and massive trailer trucks bringing dozens of pallets of donated food from grocery warehouses and distribution centers. It all impacted my feeling about volunteering and helping others in need. It is hard to realize how many need such assistance until you see the huge amounts of people, and enormous amount of food necessary to feel those who can't afford to feed themselves.

What I Learned

One person really can make a difference. A small group of dedicated, generous, hard-working people can change a community....

And all of us working together could change the world. I helped one mother put her groceries in her car, and she smiled at me and thanked me like I had saved her life. She even hugged me. I'll never forget it.
The people that do this work don't ask for thanks and they don't need pats on the back. They do it because they want to. Believe me they could get paid a lot more doing the same type of work for a grocery chain or a huge discount store.

I also learned that it really doesn't matter what one chooses to do to help at an organization like this...or any other volunteer function. The needs are great, and everything helps, because that little job you do, like sweeping a floor, or helping to box the food, or moving pallets around, is something that, ultimately, helps to get the "big" job done.