CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coastal Bend Food Bank is calling for community members to volunteer due to the uptick in demand for food assistance in the summer season. The food bank serves 11 counties and provides food to a network of more than 144 agency partners.
"The need is always greater in the summer. Kids are home, so we have families that need more assistance," Micaela Stewart, Multimedia Communications Coordinator at the Coastal Bend Food Bank, said.
The non-profit organization is looking for all types of volunteers, including those who can sort, inspect, and pack food boxes, as well as register people who need food assistance.
"We're asking the community to come out, kids that need hours for school, anybody who's retired but they're computer savvy, we ask them to join us," Stewart said.
When the food bank holds mobile distribution, their mission is to serve everybody quickly, which is why they are looking for volunteers who are familiar with computers.
“ And it's just a process of quick training, maybe about 30 minutes, and they'll be with our agency relations coordinator,” Steward said. “Once they're ready to go, we put them out there, and all it is just getting their [community members] information, typing that in, and then more than likely they'll populate, but we can help them with the whole process.”
The food bank will hold two distributions in July. The first one will be held on the second Tuesday of July, and the next one will be held on the fourth Tuesday of July. They will both be located at the Coastal Bend Food Bank.
Stewart tells KRIS 6 News that volunteers can help prepare for those distributions, or they can be there during the distributions.
"Whether they wanna help load vehicles. They wanna help with traffic control, just anything to give relief to our regular volunteers that we have here on a daily," Stewart said.
Current volunteers at the food bank shared their experiences about why they donate their time to the organization.
"Volunteering, you're helping other people, but you know it also makes you feel good about yourself,” Abree Lien, a 17-year-old volunteer at the Coastal Bend Food Bank, said. “You're doing something to do for other people. If you're not thinking about other people, you can think about how it makes you feel."
Glenn Walsh, another volunteer, noted the personal benefits.
"It gives you something to do and get some exercise and stay, you know, help you stay in shape too," Walsh said.
Lien emphasized how simple it is to begin volunteering at the food bank.
"If you could do anything to help someone, and you don't have anything else to do, just go ahead and do it," Lien said.
The food bank also welcomes groups who want to volunteer together.
"Take about 2 or 3 hours out of your day, start your day off good, feel good, and then be on your way," Stewart said.
For more information on volunteering for the CBFB, click here.
You can also contact Elizabeth Herrera, volunteer coordinator, for any questions at 361-887-6291 ext. 5123 or via email at Eherrera@coastalbendfoodbank.org
