Four nonprofits benefit from volunteers
AUBURN — During the week of March 15, seven students from both Southern Maine Community College and the University of New England participated in a local “alternative spring break.” The trip was organized by AmeriCorps members and a faculty advisor. Good Shepherd Food-Bank, in collaboration with Maine Campus Compact, designed the trip in an effort to help connect hunger relief organizations throughout the state with volunteers eager to assist in their work. The agencies participating in the Alternative Spring Break included Maine Mental Health Connections in Bangor, Friends Helping Friends in Fort Fairfield, Poland Community Church Food Pantry in Poland and Seniors Plus in Lewiston. The students participated in volunteer projects ranging from painting, sorting food, organizing clothing and cleaning. Throughout the week, the students were hosted by several churches that provided them with accommodations for the night.
“Going on this trip gave me the opportunity to work with those on the front line of the hunger relief effort,” stated Jim Keller, AmeriCorps member. “It was heartwarming to work alongside other students who gave up most of their spring break vacation to take on a small piece of the vast amount of work that goes into feeding Maine’s hungry.”
Keller has been working with the Food-Bank for more than six months helping to implement new programs and ideas as a member of the Food-Bank’s Food Resource Team.
“Volunteers are an integral part of almost all non-profit organizations, especially hunger relief organizations,” said Rick Small, executive director of the Food-Bank. “It is inspiring to see a group of young people who are engaged in their community and that recognize the impact that just a few hours of work can have on a non-profit with limited staffing and resources.”
All of the agencies participating in the alternative spring break are hunger relief partners of Good Shepherd Food-Bank. The Food-Bank currently has more than 600 partner agencies throughout the state helping to provide food to more than 36,000 people each week.
