As part of National Nutrition Month, March is a great time to volunteer to help fight hunger in your community. Over the last two years, many local food pantries were forced to close or reduce hours because of the pandemic. Consider the following recommendations to get involved and help others stay healthy during this difficult time.
- Volunteer at your local food pantry. Contact your local food pantry to see what volunteer opportunities are available.
- Make a meal for a local homeless shelter. A homemade meal will provide healthy food to families in need.
- Host a food drive. Organize a food drive in your community to collect and donate non-perishable food items to food pantries.
- Join a backpack event. Backpack events create take home bags that give kids consistent access to healthy nutritious food that they may not otherwise have during the summer and school breaks.
- Volunteer at a community garden. Community gardens and farms provide access to fresh fruit and produce to families who are hungry. Volunteer opportunities may be seasonal, but some operate year-round.
Remember, small positive changes can make a big difference. There are many organizations that offer volunteer opportunities to help fight hunger near you.
Your Employee Assistance Program can help!
If you need additional assistance locating volunteer opportunities, contact your Component Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Your EAP can offer resources and referral service to help you locate volunteer opportunities in your community. EAP support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information or for help in contacting your EAP, write to your DHS Work-Life specialists.