Blog Post: Turning Around Your "Unemployed Time" as a Benefit

Yes, there is the updating your resume. And professional networking on www.linkedin.com or even www.facebook.com to connect with friends you may haven't seen in awhile. But after you have used your computer so long you think your fingers might fall off and your eyes might pop out of your head and even your dog is wanting you to actually...move, what's next?

Get out of your house! Raise your profile by volunteering with community organizations--you never know who you might meet! At St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, we have monthly tours called "Ending Hunger, Changing Lives" and we have ample opportunities to come volunteer Tuesday through Saturdays.

Here are just some ways you can become active with St. Mary's Volunteer Force:

-B.R.E.A.D is Bridges Reaching the Elderly and Disabled. Volunteers are needed to deliver a box of food once a month to an elderly and disabled client.The volunteer delivers to their same client each month.The food can be picked up at the food bank Monday through Saturday and delivered at the volunteer's convenience.

-Citrus Gleaning Projects: Th e food bank relies on volunteers to strip the trees of their fruit, and food bank officials report there are not enough people to get to all of the offers of help. Whether it's answering phones or helping pick citrus off trees, we could use your help!

-Pack Emergency Food Boxes or Food Value Club Boxes: Pack food boxes with essential foods for those struggling with hunger or those who purchase food boxes for a discounted price

-Hunger Study Researcher Volunteer: Assist in completing surveys with our partner agencies

-Clerical Assistants: The Food Bank is in need of volunteers to provide administrative and clerical support, answer phones, assist with data entry, etc...

Your volunteer support enables us to feed more than 200,000 meals to the community every day! Helping someone else during times of trouble often help raise our own spirits.

For more info please contact us at volunteerservices@firstfoodbank.org or (602) 242-FOOD.