This weekend I did something that I’ve never done before and had the best time doing it.  It didn’t cost a dime but the feeling was priceless…….I became a volunteer. Now I know that does not sound very exciting to many people. However it was for me. I do not consider myself an extremely selfish person but over the past few years I’ve been blessed enough to be a taker (mainly because I needed the help).  I am now in a position where I am able to give. I do not have the ability to give in a monetary sense, so i give my time.

I am officially a City Harvest Volunteer. City Harvest is a non profit organization which helps to combat hunger in New York City. They have been around since 1982. There mission is to help feed the city’s poor and hungry residents through distributing food and providing nutritional and financial education.

I was very attracted to City Harvest because they reach out and interact directly with the community. I participated in their Mobile Market on Saturday. This is a market that comes to the Bronx and Staten Island twice a month to provide food to it’s residents who reside in public housing. Volunteers help to distribute the food to those in the program. I must say that I was very ignorant of the amount of people who suffer from hunger in my own neighborhood. The market starts at around 9am and ends at 12pm. The line which streched around a city block begins way before the market opens. Many of the people that I served were elderly or disabled. There were many families also with small children. There were also quite a few working women as well. Honestly I expected to serve homeless individuals. Surprisenly to many people from all walks of life are suffering from hunger.

It reminded me of when I was a little girl growing up with a single struggling mother. There were quite a few summers when I had to take advantage of the free breakfast and lunch programs in the city.  I used to feel embarassed. I hated going to the supermarket and having to purchase groceries with food stamps.  Although I never went to bed hungry, I still felt ashamed that a meal made with goverment rice, cheese and meat filled my belly.  Even as an adult I still did not realize that so many people were and continue to struggle with where their next meal is coming from.

When I distributed the food I made sure that I did so with a smile and a warm greeting. Whether you are rich or poor everyone wants and deserves to be treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Many of them smiled back and said things like “God bless you, take care, and thank you so much”. It felt great to give back to the city that had many times given to me.

If any New Yorker is interested volunteering a little of their time to help hunger in your own neighborhoods, City Harvest is a great place to do so. Please visit www.cityharvest.org for details.  If you are interested in other places and causes to volunteer for please visit www.volunteernyc.org.