VOLUNTEERING TO HELP THOSE IN NEED - HIGH SCHOOL - 40 IN 4

On Saturday mornings, I and six individuals (mostly 55+) pack boxes, and bags with food in them for the needy. With two vehicles we team out with a driver, a phone caller - to let recipients know we are on our way - and then a third person who along with the driver gets out of the car to deliver well-needed food.

Last week we had 9 deliveries, this week we had 20.  We never know how many calls/deliveries we will get until Friday afternoons. We always need to ensure we have at least 20 boxes made up that include just the basics; peanut butter or jam, a can of fruit, canned pasta, mac and cheese, a can of tomato sauce or tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. two small cans of soup and one large can of soup, a can of vegetables or two, chick peas or red beans, a can of tuna, a package of spaghetti or other pasta we might have available. So after our deliveries we will make up boxes for the next weeks deliveries.

On Saturday's before our deliveries, we put together a bag of perishables (it is like a production line). Single orders (families under four people) get one loaf of bread, one single bag of milk, and a ream of ground beef. A double order is usually for families above 4 people, and it consists of the same listed above except they may get a bigger package of pasta, an extra loaf of bread or more milk and an extra meat.  When we get cheese slices we are excited for them as it is a treat as we use to provide cheese all the time, but it is expensive now.  This week we had a big bag of apples for everyone. Fresh fruit and veggies is a real treat for everyone as we do not get that very often.

Each box for delivery also gets a box of cereal and a carton of eggs. Not a lot but the basics.

Sometimes the food is donated especially through some of the high school food drives, most of it we get through the Council as they have a warehouse where our volunteers can go get what is needed. This may be done days before as we need to anticipate our numbers, again we never know how many calls/deliveries we will get. We even source from local grocery stores that may be just about ready to get rid of food that is about to expire.

Our "clients" are not just the sick and poor, they are refugees who have escaped their own countries to be safe and a better life. They are immigrants who just need help while they get started in a new country. They are people who have run into tough times either through job loss, a relationship breakdown or mental illness. They are people just like you and me.

I remember growing up and one time our church community brought us a food basket around Christmas time. My parents had it tough with raising five kids in the '60s (yes I am that old, but feel like I am 40), and one of those kids was sickly and dying. Back then there was no OHIP or proper medical plans to help with medical expenses, so any extra money went toward my sibling's health needs. My mother had not asked for the basket, but the church knew of our plight and brought it to our home. She almost refused it, but as a young teen I said "Mom take it, it will help us."

Both my parents worked, but with mounting medical bills, it was becoming tough, so just to have something different was such a treat.

I have been lucky and I have had a good life and always taught my own children the importance of volunteering in the community and when they were in high school they had to give of their time to graduate. Known as the 40 in 4. 40 hours of volunteering in 4 years. Today, we do not have a lot of young people volunteering in food banks or as part of other community initiatives. Sure they can volunteer to help mom or dad at work but give them something meaningful to do, something that will make them think. Get them to volunteer at the food bank. We certainly can use volunteers to help out on Saturday mornings on the west side of Windsor.

Contact me for more info on how your high school student can volunteer with me on Saturday mornings. and if you are not a high school student and want to volunteer and are looking for something that is meaningful email me today at deirdra.a.watson@outlook.com .