Natalie first got involved with volunteering at Interchange Food Pantry after moving back from being away for college. “I went onto a website for volunteering to get involved in the community last summer and found this opportunity, and I’ve been here most Saturdays ever since for about a year now,” she said.
When asked what she enjoys about volunteering, Natalie said, “I get here early. I like the setup and making bags to have ready for everyone. Then once we’re open, I like greeting our guests, shopping for them, gathering all the food in an order, and delivering it to them. Generally, interacting with our guests is my favorite part.”
“You get to know our guests, recognize them and their names and ask about their families when they arrive,” she added. “It’s really nice to get to talk to people who I might not normally interact with otherwise. I think it’s such a great opportunity to get to know other people and get involved in the community.”
Fun facts: Natalie speaks Spanish, so she’s able to translate for our guests who are more comfortable speaking Spanish. She also enjoys playing the online word game Semantle with other volunteers, when there is downtime in between guests.
Interested in following Natalie’s lead and volunteering at the pantry? We have numerous roles and shifts available and would welcome your gift of service! If you aren’t able to volunteer, you can still support the pantry with a generous donation to our Healthy Food Fund: gofund.me/f827bfe0