Tag: donor-volunteer

“Help Repair the World”

February 28, 2024

Volunteering with the Food Bank in May 2020 was really a no-brainer for Mitchell. As a retired government worker for various public health agencies, he already had a deep knowledge of epidemics and health outbreaks. Combined with the driving force of his faith, Mitchell knew he wanted to help his community out during a difficult and pivotal time. 

“I come from a Jewish culture that mandates we help repair the world. I heard that the Food Bank needed volunteers, so I went down, I signed up and that’s where I’ve been,” Mitchell told us. 

Community: An Antidote to Isolation

Today, Mitchell is a regular fixture at four pantries a week, with more than 1300 volunteer hours under

Mitchell stops to chat with Mike, Senior Pop-up Supervisor at the Food Bank

his belt. Though he has some ambitious ideas for getting more folks involved with volunteering – “get influencer people, the ones with the hot names to plug the Food Bank. Maybe Taylor Swift, I understand she’s an influencer” – we think his own testimony is pretty convincing. 

“A lot of seniors isolated themselves during the pandemic. Being at the Food Bank allows you to be with real-life people. So it’s very good for the psyche, the mental health,” Mitchell shared. And aside from the social component, “going to the Food Bank is like going to the gym. I can lift a 60-pound bag of rice from a pallet and put it on the table. And I will be 80 years old in July!” 

Outside of his busy Food Bank shift schedule, Mitchell is active in Lao and Burmese communities in the Bay, a longtime affinity and connection that stems back to his college days. He also became interested in Legos during the pandemic, dedicating his entire living room to elaborate Lego sets: “my living room is a museum!”

Join Mitchell

In addition to his extensive volunteering, Mitchell also donates to the Food Bank each month – a crucial way to ensure we can continue meeting the immediate needs of our neighbors while strategically planning for more long-term, holistic solutions in the future. Thank you, Mitchell, for your dedication to ending hunger in San Francisco and Marin! We can’t do this work without supporters like you.

Becoming a monthly donor or a regular volunteer are two of the best ways you can support neighbors facing hunger. Make a gift or sign up for a shift to make a difference today! 

Making Change Every Month

March 1, 2023

It all started back in 2001 with a little neighborhood newsletter. 

When Pam Smith moved back to San Francisco to begin her retirement after a couple years away on business, in her mailbox was a callout for volunteers at the nearby Richmond Neighborhood District Center Food Pantry. It wasn’t long before Pam was going in every week to help out. What she saw during her time volunteering shifted her perspective on hunger. 

“We distributed food we got from the Food Bank, and I saw how many people were coming and getting food – 300 people every Thursday. A lot of them were seniors. It drove it home that there’s a lot of neighbors around who don’t have enough money to buy food,” she told us.

“Life Back on Track”

One neighbor’s story, a young mother of two, always stuck with Pam.  

“One young woman I met was looking for a job and having a hard time. I hadn’t seen her for a couple weeks. Then I ran into her, and she had gotten a job! I was so happy that she was back on good footing. I think that having food available for people gives them a chance to get their life back on track.” 

Pam remained a regular volunteer and donor at the RDNC until the pandemic hit. When COVID restrictions prevented her from continuing at her neighborhood pantry, she switched her efforts to volunteering with the Food Bank five times a week at our warehouse and Pop-up Pantries all over the city, logging more than 1100 hours to date. She’s also a monthly donor to the Food Bank, because she believes that this work “is helping a lot of people.” Pam, thank you for your dedication to ending hunger in San Francisco and Marin!