With the festive season behind us and warmer weather on the horizon, many organizations that rely on volunteers are bracing for fewer helpers being on hand. Inside the Regional Food Bank, SUNY students are hoping to raise awareness about the importance of giving back.
Students from a variety of SUNY campuses are lined in rows of three as they sort out cans, beverages, glasses, and non-perishables. SUNY Chancellor John King Jr. is also in the mix, chatting with students and helping them put the goods in order.
Regional Food Bank’s Chief Program Officer Michael-Aaron Poindexter says events like these are important, especially during seasons when there tends to be fewer volunteers, even as the demand for food persists.
“The volunteer food insecurity is not a holiday thing. It's a year-round thing, and the amount of individuals who volunteer here equate to 40 employees, full time employees. And so, we need all the volunteers to not just do it in holidays. Although we love it, we need them here all year," said Poindexter. "And so, what they're doing here is still going to help pantries, it's still going to help seniors, it's still going to help veterans, and it's going to help people throughout the network.”
The participating students are also part of a larger service corps program in SUNY in which they dedicate at least 300 hours of paid community service.
