Words are not adequate to thank the many volunteers who keep our organization running. Because of our volunteers, many people will not go to bed hungry. It is estimated that we have at least 400 volunteers in our organization. We wish we could personally thank each one of them. It takes a lot of work and dedication to operate our eight pantries. Food for the pantries has to be purchased, counted in, shelved, and counted out. Pantries also track which organizations, businesses or churches donated the items. Our BackPack Buddies Program has a dedicated volunteer who oversees the program. The volunteer weekly monitors the numbers of students in the program at 11 elementary schools and 5 preschools and orders the necessary amount of food as well as working with the schools to make the process as efficient as possible. We are grateful to the Midland Public School Grounds’ group and the staff from county schools who transport the food to each school and the many teachers and school volunteers who pack the bags. Volunteers purchase and divide the fruit that goes into the backpacks each month. For some schools, local churches provide space and volunteers to store and pack the bags. Our Senior Delivery Program has a group of people who each month deliver food throughout Midland County to low-income home-bound seniors. Each of our mobile pantries require many volunteers. We have a crew of warehouse volunteers who meet the truck from Hidden Harvest as well as help with food donations. All our board members volunteer their time. There are many other tasks that are done by volunteers that are crucial to keeping our organization operating. Volunteers have a choice as to where they spend their precious time. Winston Churchill said, “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give” Thank you to our many volunteers for giving their time to EFPN and making Midland County a better place for those in need of food.
